Why Sociology Abandoned Communication

Abstract

This paper considers the possibility that early sociological interest in the integrative role of mass communication may have been undermined (1) by the shortrun study of media "campaigns," and the declaration that such persuasive efforts have only "limited effect"; (2) by the wrangling over theories of "mass society"; and (3) by a quasi-journalistic emphasis on "media events." In spite of the theoretical basis for reconciling these traditions, the rift over the academic locus of communications research has not been repaired.Communications research seems to be flourishing, as evident in the number of universities offering degrees in communication, number of students enrolled, number of journals, etc. The field is interdisciplinary, and embraces various combinations of former Schools of Journalism, Schools of Speech (Midwest for Rhetoric), and programs in sociology and political science. The field is linked to Law, to Schools of Business and Health, to Cinema Studies, and, increasingly, to humanistically-oriented programs of so-called Cultural Studies. All this, in spite of having been prematurely pronounced dead, or bankrupt, by some of its founders.Sociologists once occupied a prominent place in the study of communicationboth in pioneering departments of sociology and as founding members of the interdisciplinary teams that constituted Departments and Schools of Communication. In the intervening years, I daresay that communications has attracted rather little attention in mainstream sociology and, as for Departments of Communication, a generation of scholars brought up on interdisciplinarity has lost touch with the disciplines from which their teachers were recruited. More recently, I believe, this

Durkheim and Weber on the social implications of new information and communication technologies

“…Weber and Durkheim, in contrast, have not figured in the study of the social implications of new media or ICTs. For example, in the study of communication within American sociology, these two thinkers have been entirely overlooked (Katz, 2009). As a result, apart from the main exceptions that will be discussed (Habermas, Luhmann, Castells), the field of media and communication studies has been lacking in theories at the macro-level.…”

How algorithms see their audience: media epistemes and the changing conception of the individual

“…This project drew heavily on the epistemology of the social sciences (Ettema and Whitney, 1994: 9), and as such can be characterized as scientific. The key event in this process was the rise of communication studies in the first half of the 20th century, with its focus on studying public opinion, and its close ties with the media industry (Katz, 2009; Pooley and Katz, 2008). Pioneers of communication studies came from academia and imported a scientific framework to tackle the question of how to see the audience.…”

The Field of American Media Sociology: Origins, Resurrection, and Consolidation

“…Although these are but anecdotes, it would not be an overstatement to say that American sociology, narrowly construed – that is, knowledge emerging from sociology departments in the United States – has not been particularly interested in media from the 1980s up until recently. In fact, the occasional interventions in recent years calling for a renewed media sociology would suggest that lack of interest would be an understatement; inevitably, they reflect upon why “sociology abandoned communication” (Katz ) around that time (see also: Benson ; Jacobs ; Pooley and Katz )…”

“…Although these are but anecdotes, it would not be an overstatement to say that American sociology, narrowly construedthat is, knowledge emerging from sociology departments in the United Stateshas not been particularly interested in media from the 1980s up until recently. In fact, the occasional interventions in recent years calling for a renewed media sociology would suggest that lack of interest would be an understatement; inevitably, they ref lect upon why "sociology abandoned communication" (Katz 2009) around that time (see also : Benson 2009;Jacobs 2009;Pooley and Katz 2008). 1 This is in spite of the fact that the decades before could have easily inspired the emergence of media sociology as an institutionalized specialization: The public opinion formation studies (Katz and Lazarsfeld 1955;Lazarsfeld and Merton 1957;Lazarsfeld and Berelson 1944) at Columbia University of the mid 20th century not only laid the groundwork for empirical social research in general but also communication as a social science discipline.…”