Books Mass Communication Society

	Books - Mass Communication - Mass Society
	Sociologyindex	Sociology Books 2008
	Mass Media In A Mass Society: Myth and Reality (May 15, 2005) Richard Hoggart In his latest book, Richard Hoggart looks at the ways in which mass communications in the twenty-first century both encourage and hinder greater understanding of the modern world. The author takes a number of aspects of mass society today - celebrity worship, youth culture, broadcasting, and a decline in the proper use of language - and considers the paradox that the ready accessibility of information of all types does not automatically lead to greater comprehension of our world. A central focus of the book is an examination of broadcasting as the prime disseminator of mass information. Information itself, he claims, is inert and only leads to knowledge if it has been ordered and assessed. Also examined thoroughly in this book are the slow, but uninterrupted dissolution of old beliefs, in particular the widespread corruption of language, and the erosion of traditional pillars of authority as a result of century and a half of sustained intellectual criticism of existing assumptions and beliefs, especially in the religious sphere. Throughout the book, Hoggart examines broadcasting as the prime disseminator of mass information. He makes an impassioned argument for Public Service Broadcasting in its truest form, which he sees as coming increasingly under attack from today's BBS broadcasters and a widening public who view entertainment as the primary vision of television today. Mass Media, Social Control, and Social Change: A Macrosocial Perspective David Pearce Demers, K Viswanath, K. Viswanath, David Demers (Editors) Many theories of mass communications deal with the issue of social control, but few are conceived specifically as theories of social control.

Grasping Things: Folk Material Culture And Mass Society In America (Dec. 30, 2004) Simon J. Bronner
From the acts of entering a suburban house to making headstones to consuming turtle soup, Bronner wants the attentive reader to grasp the dynamics of the usually unexamined aspects of our material world. "The title of this book speaks to the theme of objects having physical and intellectual consequences." Folklore and American studies provide the intellectual base for the author's incisive analysis. The illustrations are exceptionally appropriate and provocative. The clarity of the style and arguments likewise should increase the book's appeal. A social science book that makes good reading. David S. Azzolina, Univ. of Pennsylvania Lib., Philadelphia

Mass Society, Pluralism, and Bureaucracy: Explication, Assessment, and Commentary Richard F. Hamilton
Three major social theories--mass society, pluralism, and bureaucracy--are often employed to interpret and explain modern societies. Although frequently invoked, the theories themselves are poorly understood. This book seeks to clarify the background, context, and major arguments of the theories, assess the claims and validity of each, provide expert commentary, and suggest avenues for further work in each area. Drawing on work in the humanities, history, sociology, economic history, and political science, Hamilton is able to provide readers with a clear, concise, and accurate overview of the adequacy of these theories as well as their empirical validity.
RICHARD F. HAMILTON, a specialist in political and historical sociology, is a Professor Emeritus at The Ohio State University.

Media and Society in Twentieth Century: An Historical Introduction
Lyn Gorman, David McLean
Reviewer: "ingur_z" (The Hague, The Netherlands)
I read this book for my study (Media and Journalism). I really enjoyed it. It's accessibly written for a change and gives a balanced view of how various media have developed in the 20th century. The authors take into account the various viewpoints -economic, social and other- without going to much into details. This makes to book a good introduction, giving its readers a clearcut overview of media developements in the past hundred years or so. Anyone interested in this topic will not regret buying this book. The only flaw is its complete exclusion of develpements in non-western countries. I for one would liked have read some more on this topic.

Race, Media, and the Crisis of Civil Society : From Watts to Rodney King (Cambridge Cultural Social Studies) Ronald N. Jacobs, Jeffrey C. Alexander (Series Editor), Steven Seidman
"This compact work should appeal to those studying race, conflict, and the role of media in society, particularly the different roles that 'big' and 'small' media may play... The book provides valuable insights into the processes of journalistic and societal framings of racial issues during the latter half of the twentieth century... In total, the book makes a compelling argument for the black press as a unique voice, not a substitute for participation in the mainstream media... Jacob's book brings us face-to-face with questions that will color our view of our multicultural world for years to come." Kimberly A. Neuendorf, Contemporary Sociology
Since the early nineteenth century, African-Americans have turned to Black newspapers to monitor the mainstream media and to develop alternative interpretations of public events. Ronald Jacobs tells the stories of these newspapers--in New York, Chicago and Los Angeles--for the first time, comparing African-American and "mainstream" media coverage of racial crises such as the Watts riot, the beating of Rodney King, the Los Angeles uprisings and the O. J. Simpson trial. In an engaging yet scholarly style, Jacobs shows us why a strong African-American press is still needed today.

Media and Power (Communication and Society)
James Curran
What kind of influence do the media have in society? Are they agencies of freedom and control in social welfare democracies? Critical media studies is in a state of ferment. Studies exposing class bias in the media have given way to a stress on the ambivalence and inconsistency of media representations of the world. Above all, the questioning of the totalizing themes of marxism has undermined many of the established terms of reference of critical guide to the debates that are causing researchers to question old models of understanding the media and to seek new ones. Using both case studies and overviews, James Curran poses and answers a wealth of important questions about the role of the media, dividing his discussion into three main areas - Media Influence, Media Organizations and Media and Society.

Small Town in Mass Society: Class, Power, and Religion in a Rural Community
Michael W. Hughey (Foreword), Arthur J. Vidich (Afterword), Joseph Bensman
Reviewer: Mark D. Grover (Maine USA)
Having lived in a number of small towns, I am continually amazed at the relevance of this classic study to contemporary local politics and social relationships. Long before "investigative reporting", a grad student goes undercover for a year in a small town and reports his findings -- social groups, power, politics and tradition. This is not a dry scientific analysis, but a fascinating description of American life outside the city.