Abstract

DONSBACH, WOLFGANG. The Identity of Communication Research. Signo pensam. [online]. 2012, vol.31, n.60, pp.18-29. ISSN 0120-4823.

Despite its roots in ancient rhetoric communication as an academic field and discipline has a relatively young history. Starting in the first half of the 20th century it has seen an enormous growth over the last 10-30 years. However, the field has still not fully found its identity and borders. There are many reasons for this, among them are: an object that is almost without boundaries, an ongoing diversification and specialization of the field, the characterization of communications as an "integrative" or "synoptical-discipline" which uses theories and methods from other disciplines, epistemological and methodological debates, and 4 the loss of normative orientation which helps to identify relevant research or "research in the public interest". The article discusses these problems along several theses and antitheses about the state of the field and suggests a clear normative orientation.

Keywords : Communication; Communication Research; Social Science; Epistemology, Methodology; Interdiscipline; Communication Norms; Communication; Communication -- Research; Communication -- Identification; Philosophy of Communication; Information Theory; Communication Process.

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