Words shape politics: they convey policy goals, signal priorities, and frame debates in the media. In this course, we explore how social scientists can turn texts into data to better understand political communication. You will learn how to automatically analyze political texts using the statistical software R—starting with straightforward methods such as dictionaries and gradually moving toward more advanced techniques like large language models. Along the way, we will discuss not only how to apply these tools, but also what the results mean from a political and qualitative perspective.


The course is designed for master’s students with no prior experience in R or text analysis. All you need is curiosity and a willingness to experiment with coding; the technical skills will be built step by step. By the end, you will be equipped with practical tools to study how language shapes politics and with a critical understanding of what these methods can (and cannot) reveal.