Essays on Communication History: Critical Perspectives Explored

This assignment features three essays analyzing different aspects of communication history. The first essay critiques the historical overview of communication studies, highlighting the subject's formal introduction and roots beyond the printing press. The second essay focuses on the critical approach to communication, questioning power dynamics and the influence of technology. The final essay explores improving communication studies through a relational perspective, emphasizing the importance of public relations in shaping perceptions and influencing political communication. Desklib provides a platform for students to access these types of solved assignments and past papers for their academic needs.

Running head: COMMUNICATION HISTORY
COMMUNICATION HISTORY
Name of the Student
Name of the University
Author note

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COMMUNICATION HISTORY
Essay 1: Pages 21 to 28
Communication as a subject of study is one of the most complicated in the world because
of the various connotations and interpretations associate with it. The chapter also mentions that
communication as a major became popular in colleges only during the 2016. However, it is not
entirely true because communication as an important subject was introduced in many colleges
quite well before 2016. Although the earliest communication studies date back to hundreds of
centuries, formal introduction of communication as a study was done during the mid to late 20th
century (Miike 2016). When it comes to the history of communication, as mentioned in the
chapter, it is not correct to assume that it began with either printing press or interpersonal
conversations. It is also mentioned in the chapter that the development of communication as a
discipline has its roots well before Aristotle, which is even before 4th century BC. An apparent
lack of in-depth study is evident in the chapter because it cannot claim that the first documented
essay of communication might not be written during 3000 BC and might be written even before
that in some other cultures that have not been explored (Gehrke and Keith 2014). The later
sections of the pages 24 to 27 describe the emergence of communication areas of study and end
with the explanation of the different kinds of communication. These later sections have very
clearly explained the subject areas that developed later on in the field of communication and how
it was divided into different types.
Essay 2: Pages 28 to 36
One chief aspect that has been identified in these pages is the critical approach to
communication. As per the views given in the chapter, the critical approach to communication
views the world subjectively and holds the opinion that there is an absence of balance in power.

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The critical approach also opines that there is no single truth that exists in this world; the only
truth is the one that is propagated by the power holders who exert more influence than others.
The chapter mentions the assumptions of the critical approach to communication stating
that it is an incorporated structure in society that allows a specific set of people to decide
important things rather than others. This specific set includes, as mentioned in the chapter,
people who belong to heterosexual, white skin and male categories. However, it is important to
assert that the chapter does not mention those who possess the power to control the decisions and
choices of other people by using the technology. The contemporary world has a new set of
people exerting influence through the use of the internet or the social media (Newman et al.
2017). The critical approach thus, needs to be looked from the perspective of the modern age that
has given rise to more dimensions of power.
Essay 3: Pages 37 to 42
In these pages of Chapter 2, the ways to improve communication studies through the
relational perspective has been explained. One of the sub-headings that is, Public Relations needs
special focus. Public relations in the recent times have garnered increased significance especially
from the corporate world as mentioned in the chapter. In particular, public relations or PR and its
study are being used by organizations to determine the ways they could influence people’s
perception about their organizations. Furthermore, PR is also an essential tool for political
communication as well because it helps create a relationship with the voters or subjects thus
helping the politicians exert power (Felix, Rauschnabel and Hinsch 2017). Nonetheless, the
chapter gave little emphasis on other areas of PR, limiting the study only to its meaning and
importance in the organizational perspective. Moreover, the overall content in these pages

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demanded a more elaborate explanation and discussion of PR because it influences each field of
communication, be it health, politics or business.

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References:
Felix, R., Rauschnabel, P.A. and Hinsch, C., 2017. Elements of strategic social media marketing:
A holistic framework. Journal of Business Research, 70, pp.118-126.
Gehrke, P.J. and Keith, W.M. eds., 2014. A century of communication studies: The unfinished
conversation. Routledge.
Miike, Y., 2016. Asian communication studies at the crossroads: A view to the future from an
Asiacentric framework. Journal of Content, Community and Communication, 3, pp.1-6.
Newman, L., Browne‐Yung, K., Raghavendra, P., Wood, D. and Grace, E., 2017. Applying a
critical approach to investigate barriers to digital inclusion and online social networking among
young people with disabilities. Information Systems Journal, 27(5), pp.559-588.

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