Mass Communication and American Social Thought: Key Texts, 1919-1968

by John Durham Peters (Editor), Peter Simonson (Editor), Jane Addams (Contributor)

This anthology of hard-to-find primary documents provides a solid overview of the foundations of American media studies. Focusing on mass communication and society and how this research fits into larger patterns of social thought, this valuable collection features key texts covering the media studies traditions of the Chicago school, the effects tradition, the critical theory of the Frankfurt school, and mass society theory. Where possible, articles are reproduced in their entirety to preserve the historical flavor and texture of the original works. Topics include popular theater, yellow journalism, cinema, books, public relations, political and military propaganda, advertising, opinion polling, photography, the avant-garde, popular magazines, comics, the urban press, radio drama, soap opera, popular music, and television drama and news. This text is ideal for upper-level courses in mass communication and media theory, media and society, mass communication effects, and mass media history.

Genres: Social

548 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

John Durham Peters is professor of English and film and media studies at Yale University. He is the author and editor of many books, including The Marvelous Clouds, Courting the Abyss, and Speaking into the Air, all published by the University of Chicago Press.

Reviews

[Steve Llano · Rating 5 out of 5]

An indispensable survey of the most important, most circulated, and most essential foundational scholarship of mass communication. Of value to anyone who studies communication, cultural studies, media, or related fields. There's a lot here that will make you re-think your approach to so-called modern mediated communication. Worth having on the shelf to leaf through every few months.