Showing papers in "Annals of the International Communication Association in 2017"
University of Antwerp1, University of Gothenburg2, Norwegian University of Science and Technology3, University of Zurich4, University of Amsterdam5, University of Vienna6, University of Southern Denmark7, University of Lisbon8, Paris-Sorbonne University9, Adam Mickiewicz University in Poznań10, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens11, King Juan Carlos University12, University of Pavia13, Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich14, Hebrew University of Jerusalem15, Loughborough University16
TL;DR: In this article, the authors review research on key changes and trends in political information environments and assess their democratic implications, focusing on advanced postindustrial democracies and six concerns that are all closely linked to the dissemination and acquisition of political knowledge: (1) declining supply of political information, (2) declining quality of news, (3) increasing media concentration and declining diversity of news.
Abstract: During the last decennia media environments and political communication systems have changed fundamentally. These changes have major ramifications for the political information environments and the extent to which they aid people in becoming informed citizens. Against this background, the purpose of this article is to review research on key changes and trends in political information environments and assess their democratic implications. We will focus on advanced postindustrial democracies and six concerns that are all closely linked to the dissemination and acquisition of political knowledge: (1) declining supply of political information, (2) declining quality of news, (3) increasing media concentration and declining diversity of news, (4) increasing fragmentation and polarization, (5) increasing relativism and (6) increasing inequality in political knowledge.
460 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors encourage communication scholars to be more explicit in detailing the nature of their theoretical pursuits and to utilize with greater frequency established criteria for the assessment of theory, which will foster more reasoned debate between scholars, produce better informed judgments concerning publication worthiness, allow weaker work to be discarded with less error, and provide an efficient means for the building of stronger, cogent lines of research.
Abstract: Improved communication clarity is needed in the presentation and critical evaluation of proposed theory advancements in the field of communication. We encourage communication scholars to be more explicit in detailing the nature of their theoretical pursuits and to utilize with greater frequency established criteria for the assessment of theory. Engaging in these practices will foster more reasoned debate between scholars, produce better informed judgments concerning publication worthiness, allow weaker work to be discarded with less error, and provide an efficient means for the building of stronger, more cogent lines of research.
51 citations
TL;DR: An examination of the social dynamics of messaging apps and how interaction with the chat groups that arise within the messaging apps provide us insight into a new form of social interaction is examined.
Abstract: This paper is an examination of the social dynamics of messaging apps. These text-based applications such as WhatsApp, QQ, Kik, Facebook Messenger and so on can provide insight into two general areas. The first is the how communication platforms develop critical mass. The second is how interaction with the chat groups that arise within the messaging apps provide us insight into a new form of social interaction. The broader issues of these two areas are examined and further research is outlined.
41 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a retrospective review of three major recent books in the field of digital politics is presented, including Chadwick's The hybrid media system: politics and power, Zizi Papacharissi's Affective...
Abstract: This essay offers a retrospective review of three major recent books in the field of digital politics – Andrew Chadwick’s The hybrid media system: Politics and power, Zizi Papacharissi’s Affective ...
39 citations
TL;DR: This article examined the presence of metaphorical framing in recent political framing experiments and found that almost one in three experiments involved metaphor, and one in six frames was metaphorical, irrespective of frame type.
Abstract: Framing theory is one of the most important theories in communication. One of the key debates today is about the tendency of scholars to mostly study issue-specific frames instead of generic frames. As a new approach to this debate, we propose a recategorization of frames. Following the proposition that metaphor is an important reasoning device in political communication, we examined the presence of metaphorical framing in recent political framing experiments. The main results show that almost one in three experiments involves metaphorical framing, and one in six frames is metaphorical, irrespective of frame type. By showing reasonable presence of metaphorical framing, this study demonstrates that the challenge of issue-specific prevalence may not be as problematic as previously suggested.
36 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors trace the history of marginalization, parent-child alienation, and parentchild estrangement in families and compare the processes and question whether families should be considered nonvoluntary.
Abstract: Despite assumptions that families are close and intact, the prevalence of family member marginalization, parent–child alienation, and parent–child estrangement is overwhelming. Largely ignored by the research community, these three family distancing processes pose significant disruptions to the entire family system. Although some of associated behaviors lead to turmoil and decreased well-being, distancing can also be a healthy solution to an unhealthy environment. This manuscript traces the history of these three processes; offering conceptualizations, strengths, and critiques of each perspective. Specifically, we discuss the way communication researchers have influenced these processes as well as how they can contribute to this sparse body of research in the future. Finally, we compare the processes and question whether families should be considered nonvoluntary.
34 citations
TL;DR: The history of scientific discourse is full of concepts that surged in popularity, came to be taken for granted, but faded away -not necessarily totally: Alchemical, astrological, spiritual, and a...
Abstract: The history of scientific discourse is full of concepts that surged in popularity, came to be taken for granted, but faded away – not necessarily totally: Alchemical, astrological, spiritual, and a...
27 citations
TL;DR: This article defined media and politics as a symbiosis because they are mutually dependent on each other, and current research trends are concerned with investigating how this symbiosis is deregulated and deregulated.
Abstract: Media and politics have been defined as a symbiosis because they are mutually dependent on each other. Accordingly, current research trends are concerned with investigating how this symbiosis is de...
22 citations
TL;DR: In this article, some examples of concepts that deserve to be retired because they are poorly named or have multiple names, and the hypotheses associated with them are too complex to be defined.
Abstract: We propose, provocatively, some examples of concepts – however foundational – that deserve to be ‘retired’ because (1) they are poorly named or have multiple names, (2) the hypotheses associated wi...
22 citations
TL;DR: The authors argue that these differences partly result from how researchers have disparately framed their studies and dissimilarly conceptualized how journalism serves democracy, whereas some scholars have adopted an understanding of journalism as engaging citizens, others have adhered to the more traditional task of expertly informing the public.
Abstract: Previous research has found that much of the scholarship on citizen-engaged journalism cites its democratic potential. This integrative literature review builds on that work by distinguishing how scholars have defined participatory journalism and citizen journalism and by discovering why some scholars have expressed disappointment in citizens’ efforts while others have offered optimism. This study argues that these differences partly result from how researchers have disparately framed their studies and dissimilarly conceptualized how journalism serves democracy. Whereas some scholars have adopted an understanding of journalism as engaging citizens, others have adhered to the more traditional task of expertly informing the public. Prior debates over public journalism can inform these tensions and possibly illuminate future directions for research.
17 citations
TL;DR: This article reviewed existing organizational information-seeking research and its key contributions to socialization knowledge using two primary frameworks identified in the literature: feedback-seeking and the model of newcomer information seeking.
Abstract: Early organizational socialization research focused primarily on the organization’s perspective, with individuals assumed to be passive recipients of information. In recent years, scholars began acknowledging individual organizational members as active participants in the process, voluntarily seeking information from multiple sources to help them acclimate to their roles, but information seeking during the anticipatory phase of socialization remains largely unexplored in the literature. This essay reviews existing organizational information-seeking research and its key contributions to socialization knowledge using two primary frameworks identified in the literature: feedback seeking and the model of newcomer information seeking. Potential applicability of findings to anticipatory socialization is discussed, revealing multiple promising directions for future information-seeking research.
TL;DR: There is some evidence that increased exposure to media increases fatalism, but more research is needed to make a definitive claim and to explain the mechanism for such effects.
Abstract: Fatalistic attitudes have a negative impact on a broad variety of health behaviors and behavioral determinants of health. A growing body of research has documented an association between media exposure and fatalism; however, scholarship has not been able to ascertain the causal direction. This review synthesizes the current state of the literature. A major finding is that most studies purporting to assess the relationship between media exposure and fatalism use conflated measures of fatalism. Among those that use an appropriate measure, there is some evidence that increased exposure to media increases fatalism. Although there is a substantive theoretical rationale for such effects, more research is needed to make a definitive claim and to explain the mechanism for such effects.
TL;DR: The authors provides a review of contemporary research on religious communication and technologies through the lens of digital religion studies, which explores how online and offline religious communications and technologies can be used for different purposes.
Abstract: This article provides a review of contemporary research on religious communication and technologies through the lens of Digital Religion Studies, which explores how online and offline religious sph...
TL;DR: It is argued that communication challenges must be solved before technological ones: impact and success in ICT4D rely first and foremost on having a common and mutual understanding of needs, values and perspectives, which will determine whether and which technologies are needed.
Abstract: We provide an overview of the field of information and communication technologies for development (ICTD). This field is concerned with how information and communication technologies can be used to support poor and marginalized people in social, political and economic spheres. Through referring to seminal authors in ICT4D and its sub-fields, human–computer interaction for development (HCI4D) and participatory design for development (PD4D), we articulate the main themes, debates and challenges presented in this field. We conclude by arguing that communication challenges must be solved before technological ones: impact and success in ICT4D rely first and foremost on having a common and mutual understanding of needs, values and perspectives, which will determine whether and which technologies are needed.
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors examine what they see as some of the key developments in the field of adolescents and children and media research, with the caveat as regards to their specific research perspective and possi...
Abstract: We examine what we see as some of the key developments in the field of adolescents and children and media research. With the caveat as regards to our specific research perspective and possi...
TL;DR: In this article, a growing body of communication research concerned with "security" is discussed, and the authors define this concept and discuss recent geopolitical and interdisciplinary research in this area.
Abstract: This essay isolates and explores a growing body of communication research concerned with ‘security.’ It opens by defining this concept, and discussing recent geopolitical and interdisciplinary tren...
TL;DR: In this paper, a growing body of communication scholarship devoted to the relationship between media and security has been surveyed, focusing on visual securitization, media framing, media materialism, mediatization, and critical-cultural media studies.
Abstract: This essay isolates and explores a growing body of communication scholarship devoted to the relationship between media and security. It begins by reviewing communication’s disciplinary history surrounding this relationship, and recent trends stimulating the convergence of media and security scholarship. It surveys five prominent research programmes offering distinctive images of the media–security relationship: visual securitization, media framing; media materialism; mediatization; and critical-cultural media studies. It then grounds that survey in a case study of media and nuclear weapons that problematizes the communicative status of security technologies. It concludes with a discussion of potential futures for this larger body of work.
TL;DR: Critical approaches to information and communication technology have seen five very busy years as the central trends of ‘communicative capitalism’ have consolidated and taken distinct shapes hand in hand with the proliferation of social media.
Abstract: Critical approaches to information and communication technology have seen five very busy years as the central trends of ‘communicative capitalism’ have consolidated and taken distinct shapes hand in hand with the proliferation of social media. This article offers an overview of some of the key developments that have preoccupied the attention of critical scholars over that period. With some inevitable gloss-over and reduction of complexity and nuance, it can be argued that the most prominent targets of critique have been: digital labour and its exploitation; big data and the process of datafication of social life; and social media platforms with their inherent algorithmic control over users’ behaviour and sociality, and the subjectivation and commodification of individual selves.
[...]
TL;DR: Katz and Fialkoff as mentioned in this paper argue that it is time to retire six concepts that communication scholars have studied for decades, and they suggest that these concepts should be retired.
Abstract: Katz and Fialkoff have a provocative proposal. They assert that it is time to retire six concepts that communication scholars have studied for decades. This is not how we typically think about adva...
TL;DR: A review of recent books on the public sphere review and advance this more recent thinking can be found in this article, where the authors focus on the challenges of transnational power and the growing public prominence of religious thought and belief.
Abstract: Most references to public sphere theory in the literature of media and communication research today focus on Jurgen Habermas’s early book The Structural Transformation of the Public Sphere. Since this book’s publication the theory of the public sphere has advanced in a number of ways. Early criticisms have in many ways been accommodated. The public sphere has been elaborated within theories of deliberative democracy and social evolution. Most recently, Habermas and other theorists of the public sphere have turned towards the challenges of transnational power and the growing public prominence of religious thought and belief. Recent books on the public sphere review and advance this more recent thinking. This essay reviews three of these books.
TL;DR: In this article, the benefits of collaborative teams have become commonplace in contemporary organizations, but the literature on collaborative teams remains fragmented, and scholars in different sub-fields use distinc...
Abstract: Celebrations of the benefits of collaborative teams have become commonplace in contemporary organizations. Scholarship on this topic remains fragmented. Scholars in different sub-fields use distinc...
TL;DR: In the Haifa Workshop on Media Psychology in 2015, Dr Elihu Katz argued that as he approached what he declared would be his actual retirement, perhaps it was time to consider...
Abstract: In the keynote address at the Haifa Workshop on Media Psychology in 2015, Dr Elihu Katz argued that as he approached what he declared would be his actual retirement, perhaps it was time to consider...
TL;DR: In true Talmudic or perhaps Aristotelian, fashion Elihu Katz has spent many years arguing with himself and with others about the role of media in opinion formation and decision-making as discussed by the authors.
Abstract: In true Talmudic, or perhaps Aristotelian, fashion Elihu Katz has spent many years arguing with himself and with others about the role of media in opinion formation and decision-making. He has been...
TL;DR: The authors introduce a double issue, showing first how the articles conjoin global perspectives with fine-grained attention to specific communication venues vis-a-vis critical theory, politics, religion, and critical theory.
Abstract: I introduce this double issue, showing first how the articles conjoin global perspectives with fine-grained attention to specific communication venues vis-a-vis critical theory, politics, religion,...