What does it mean to argue that communication is organizing? Or ritual? Or failure? What is at stake in choosing
one metaphor or stance over another? What is gained and what is lost - for the field, for the theories themselves,
and especially for humans communicating in everyday contexts? In Communication as...: Perspectives on Theory, editors
Gregory J. Shepherd, Jeffrey St. John, and Ted Striphas bring together a collection of 27 essays that explores
the wide range of theorizing about communication, cutting across all lines of traditional divisions in the field.
The essays in this text are written by leading scholars in the field of communication theory, with each scholar
employing a particular stance or perspective on what communication theory is and how it functions. In essays that
are brief, argumentative, and forceful, the scholars propose their perspective as a primary or essential way of
viewing communication with decided benefits over other views.
Key Features:
Compares and contrasts different metaphorical views on the theory and practice of communication, challenging
students to develop their own argument about communication theory
Promotes an alternative way of examining communication problems - through the engaged interplay of a diversity
of positions - encouraging readers to think through contemporary problems and questions in the field
Compels readers to confront competing theoretical positions and their consequences head-on rather than outlining
theories in ways that might separate them from their real-world consequences
Communication as... is an excellent textbook for advanced undergraduate and graduate courses on communication
theory in the fields of Communication, Journalism, Sociology, and Psychology.
Features:
By comparing and contrasting different metaphorical stances on the theory and practice of communication, students
are challenged to posit their own argument about communication theory.
This collection seeks an alternative way of engaging communication problems: through the engaged interplay
of a diversity of positions. The volume includes a wide variety of perspectives on communication and its theorization,
and each essay posits an argument about communication theory. In effect, the book promotes a stakeholder model
for thinking through contemporary problems and questions in the field.
Rather than outlining theories in ways that might (unintentionally) divorce them from their real-world consequences,
readers confront competing theoretical positions and their consequences head-on. What in fact does it mean to
argue that communication is organizing? Or ritual? Or failure? What is at stake in choosing one metaphor, or
stance, over another? What is gained and what is lost� for the field, for the theories themselves, and especially
for humans communicating in everyday contexts?
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
Part I: Making
1. Relationality Celeste M. Condit
2. Ritual Eric W. Rothenbuhler
3. Transcendence Gregory J. Shepherd
4. Constructive Katherine Miller
5. A Practice Robert T. Craig
Part II: Materializing
6. Collective Memory Carole Blair
7. Vision Cara A. Finnegan
8. Embodiment Carolyn Marvin
9. Raced Judith N. Martin & Thomas K. Nakayama
10. Social Identity Jake Harwood
11. Techne Jonathan Sterne
Part III: Contextualizing
12. Dialogue Leslie A. Baxter
13. Autoethnography Arthur P. Bochner & Carolyn S. Ellis
14. Storytelling Eric E. Peterson & Kristin M. Langellier
15. Complex Organizing James R. Taylor
16. Structuring David R. Seibold & Karen Kroman Myers
