Vad publicerar en partiledare på Instagram?

Sammanfattning: What does a political party leader post on Instagram? A qualitative study of political personalization on Instagram The purpose of this study was to explore the phenomena Personalization in relation to Strategic Political Communication and Social Media. Through an analysis of four Swedish political party leaders usage of the social media platform Instagram, this study aimed to find potential patterns of Political Personalization within a Swedish context. Previous research on Political Personalization has unveiled a shift in focus within strategic political communication, from a party-centered to a candidate-centered. Additionally, research has shown that politicians more personal characteristics has become of importance for voters. In light of this, social media has enabled prominent politicians to become more personal in their interaction with the public, as well as are given an opportunity for constant campaigning. Therefore the study gathered its empirical material from four party lea- ders’ Instagram accounts and through a qualitative semiotic method analyzed the given material. The analysis resulted in the conclusion that the majority of the selected Swedish party leaders showed patterns of political personalization through their Instagram publication. The self-presentations of the party leaders were characterized by emotional, humoristic, relatable and value-driven content. A showcase of these characteristics and a more personal side were enabled by the platform Instagram and allows politicians to combine political and personal con- tent in their self-presentation. This is preferable in order to gain support from voters. Number of characters: 114 185 Key words: Political communication, strategic communication, personalization, self-presentation, qualitative analysis, social media, Instagram, Swedish politicians.