The Handbook of Media and Mass Communication Theory -- Copyright -- Contents -- Notes on Contributors -- Introduction -- Part I Classical Theories of Media and the Press -- 1 Classical Liberal Theory in a Digital World -- Origins and Optimism -- Disillusionment and Ethics -- Variations on a Liberal Theme -- Liberal Theory Today -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 2 The Origins of Media Theory: An Alternative View -- References -- 3 Political Economic Theory and Research: Conceptual Foundations and Current Trends -- The Political Economy Tradition -- Research on the Political Economy of the Media -- Current Trends -- References -- 4 Semiotics and the Media -- Ferdinand de Saussure -- Roland Barthes -- Judith Williamson -- Robert Hodge and Gunther Kress -- Algirdas Julien Greimas -- How Do I Analyze a Media Text? -- Later Developments: A Semiotics of the Senses -- Charles S. Peirce (1958) -- 5 Symbolic Interactionism and the Media -- The Interactionist Tradition -- Information Technologies -- The Task of the Media -- Media Reform and the Crisis of Democracy -- Democracy and Critical Pedagogy -- A Performative Communication Studies -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 6 Patterns in the Use of Theory in Media Effects Research -- Prevalence of Theories -- Most Used Theories -- Parts of Media Effects Phenomenon -- Implications -- Conclusion -- References -- 7 Cultivation Theory: Its History, Current Status, and Future Directions -- Background of Cultivation Theory -- Challenges to the Theory -- Meta-Analyses of Cultivation Effects -- Evidence for Cultivation Effects -- More Recent Tests of Cultivation Theory -- Social Cognitive Theory -- Short- and Long-Term Effects of Media Exposure -- Recent Studies of Media Content -- Future Directions in Cultivation Theory Research -- 8 Media Ecology: Contexts, Concepts, and Currents.

What Is Media Ecology? -- The Rise of Media Ecology: A Brief Account -- Contextualizing the Media -- The Symbolic Biases of Media -- Media as the Extensions of the Human Sensorium -- The Physical Forms and Biases of Media -- The Inevitability and Unpredictability of Consequences -- Media Do and Undo: A Faustian Bargain -- Media Ecology as Historiography -- Discussion: Currents in Media Ecology -- References -- 9 Dramatistic Theory: A Burkeian Approach to the 2004 Madrid Terrorist Attacks -- Communication Studies and Dramatistic Theory -- Kenneth Burke's Dramatistic Theory -- Bridges between Dramatistic Theory and Communication Studies -- Case Study: The 2004 Madrid Terrorist Attacks -- References -- Further Reading -- 10 Ritual Theory and the Media -- Key Elements of Media Ritual -- James Carey and the Ritual Model -- Politics as Symbolic Ritual -- Recent Theories of Media Ritual -- References -- 11 Jacques Ellul and the Nature of Propaganda in the Media -- Introduction -- Definition -- Characteristics of Propaganda -- Propaganda and Democracy -- Ethics and Propaganda -- Concluding Remarks -- References -- Further Reading -- 12 Lewis Mumford: Technics, Civilization, and Media Theory -- References -- 13 The Impact of Ethics on Media and Press Theory -- Mainstream Communication Theory -- Social Responsibility Theory -- Cultural Studies -- Sociological Propaganda -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Further Reading -- Part II Audiences, Social Construction, and Social Control -- 14 Agenda-Setting Influence of the Media in the Public Sphere -- Basic Agenda-Setting Effects -- Attribute Agenda-Setting Effects -- Exploring a Third Level of Effects -- Psychology of Agenda Setting -- Conclusion -- References -- 15 The Uses and Gratifications (U&G) Approach as a Lens for Studying Social Media Practice -- Introduction -- Uses and Gratifications Approach.

What Are Social Media? -- Uses and Gratifications of Social Media -- Limitations and Challenges -- Conclusions -- Note -- References -- Further Reading -- 16 The Media's Impact on Perceptions of Political Polarization -- Introduction -- The "Culture War" Theme -- Agenda Setting -- News or Opinion? -- The "Either/Or" Frame -- The Evolving Media Marketplace -- Elite Journalists Have Changed -- Conclusion: Are the Media Contributing to Polarization? -- Notes -- References -- 17 The Social-Cultural Construction of News: From Doing Work to Making Meanings -- The Social Construction of News: Constraints and Relationships -- The Cultural Construction of News: Assembling Shared Meanings -- Conclusion -- References -- 18 Media, Civil Society, and the Public Sphere: History and Current Thinking -- Civil Society -- International Civil Society -- The Public Sphere -- Political Economy and the Culture Industry -- Notes -- References -- Further Reading -- 19 The Genesis of Social Responsibility Theory: William Ernest Hocking and Positive Freedom -- Hocking's Radical Alternative -- Postive Freedom and the News -- Conclusion -- Acknowledgments -- Notes -- References -- Further Reading -- Part III New Approaches and Reconsiderations -- 20 Feminist Media Theory -- The Activist History -- Gendered Jobs -- New Gender Theories -- Polysemy, Power, and Policing -- Post-Feminist and Third-Wave Discourse -- Global Studies and Political Economy -- Technology -- Other Factors, Other Conclusions -- Notes -- References -- 21 Media, Communication, and Postcolonial Theory -- The Question of Nationalism in Postcolonial Studies -- Third World Nationalism and International Communications -- Globalization, International Communications, and Postcolonial Theory -- References -- 22 Reconceptualizing "Cultural Imperialism" in the Current Era of Globalization.

History of the Concept of Cultural Imperialism -- Criticisms of the Cultural Imperialism Perspective -- Active Audience Research and Effects of Cultural Transfers -- Counterflows and Regional Flows of Culture -- Cultural Globalization Rather Than Cultural Imperialism? -- The Problematic Concept of "Cultural Loss" -- The Intertwinement of Globalization and Americanization -- Retaining the Critical Core of "Cultural Imperialism" -- References -- 23 Al Jazeera Remaps Global News Flows -- Introduction -- From Lone Channel to Global Network -- Impacts in the MENA -- Impacts Beyond the MENA -- Conclusion -- References -- Further Reading -- 24 Nonviolence as a Communication Strategy: An Introduction to the Rhetoric of Peacebuilding -- Defining Nonviolence and Peacebuilding -- Background of Nonviolence and Peacebuilding Within the Field of Communication -- Nonviolent Communication Strategies for Peacebuilding -- Nonviolence and Peacebuilding as Emerging Concepts in Communication -- Challenges to the Research, Teaching, and Practice of Nonviolent/Peacebuilding Communication -- Recommendations for Future Research and Practice -- References -- 25 Globalization and Cultural Identities: A Contradiction in Terms? -- The Origins of the Concept of National Identity: Essentialists and Historicists -- Defining Cultural Identity -- Globalization -- The Role of the Mass Media -- Identity and Globalization: Contradiction or Harmony? -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- Further Reading -- 26 Cultivation Theory in the Twenty-First Century -- "Doing Cultivation" -- Evidence of Cultivation -- Diversity in Cultivation Research -- New Media -- Conclusion -- References -- 27 Media Theory and Media Policy: Worlds Apart -- Introduction -- Media Theories -- Policy Issues -- Worlds Apart -- Notes -- References -- Further Reading -- Part IV Media Theory and New Technologies.

28 The Philosophy of Technology and Communication Systems -- Philosophies of Technology -- Application to Media and Mass Communication Theory -- Triadic mass communication theory -- Cultural continuity -- Conclusion -- Notes -- References -- 29 Theoretical Perspectives on the Social Construction of Technology -- Harold Adams Innis -- Marshall McLuhan -- The mythos of Media Technology -- Technology as an Intellectual Construct -- Technology and Meaning -- The Inevitability of Technology -- Notes -- References -- 30 Dangerous Liaisons: Media Gaming and Violence -- Introduction -- A Brief History of Video Games -- Types and Content of Video Games -- From Violent Media to Violent Video Games: Evolution of the Field -- Motivations: Why Play Violent Video Games? -- Effects of Playing Video Games -- Theorizing the Effects of Video Games -- Moderators of Effects of Violent Video Games: Demographics -- Methodological Challenges in Researching Effects of Video Games -- Implications of the Research for Policymaking -- International Research -- Concluding Remarks -- References -- Further Reading -- 31 Empowerment and Online Social Networking -- Introduction -- Defining the Terms -- Social Networks -- Web Theory -- Network Theory -- Systems Theory -- Micro Issues -- Macro Issues -- The Question of False Consciousness -- The Role of Collective Intelligence -- The Zapatista Movement -- MoveOn.org -- The Arab Spring -- Micro and Macro Uses of Social Networks for Empowerment -- Suggestions for Future Research -- Notes -- References -- Further Reading -- 32 Global Communication Divides and Equal Rights to Communicate -- Introduction -- Press Theories and Freedom of Speech -- Media Imperialism and Communication Independence -- New World Information and Communication Order -- Digital Divides and Digital Communication Rights.

Technological Determinism and Technology Opportunity.