Meta-Theory of Communication presented by Majid Tehranian

What is a Theory?

There are four disciplinary approaches that we can use to look at Communication:

  1. Signification:  science, symbols, myths

  2. Socialization:  passing on skills from generation to generation

  3. Legitimization:  political function, moral force (Political Science, Sociology)

  4. Accumulation:  Economic production means, accumulation of resources

There are four main groups of theories:

  1. Liberal- value liberty and ideals

  2. Marxist- value equality

  3. Communitarian- value community

  4. Postmodernist- value having no dominant ideologies and structures

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Modes of Civilization, Communication and Globalization:

CIVILIZATION COMMUNICATION GLOBALIZATION
FROM ABOVE		 GLOBALIZATION
FROM BELOW
Nomadic
1-10m years ago		 Orality Nomadic Empires shamanism
Agrarian
8000 bce		 Literacy Agrarian Empires religions
Commercial
300 bce		 Transportation Commercial Empires revolts
Industrial
1750 ce		 Mass Media Industrial Empires revolutions
Informatic
1971 ce		 Networks Informatic Empires Global citizenship