COMMUNICATION AS A SOCIAL FORCE
LECTURE WEEK 1
Why do we need a new/different theory of media and social change?
What are the key characteristics of the theory of mediatization?
(How) Can we empirically research the mediatization of different social institutions?
The Quantifiable self our own view (or fear) as tracked by different mechanisims by
different structures provided by media
Can all these interactions change how ‘health’ operates?
Health Mediatized Health
Focus on information and illness Health is an individual issue
Medical treatment and medical care The role of experts is “diminished” in
communicated by experts communication
Public health Health as one’s lifestyle
Quantification of the self
Media & Health as institutions:
- Health logic/health resources based on logic and professionals and fewer health
information
- Media logic/media resources the way media works and the way media is
structured
MEDIATIZATION OF HEATLH
- Media influences health practices and resources
- Media logic applied to health
Mediatization theory – the duality of media as an independent institution and as intertwined
with other institutions. It investigates the complex relations between media and other
institutions
media have become an integrated part of social institutions
media have grown into an (independent) social institution
Historical development of media
,4 TYPES OF MEDIATIZATION PROCESSES (WINFRIED SCHULZ)
- Media can extend human communication not only face-to-face communication,
but nowadays you can phone, mail and text
- Media can substitute activities face-to-face becomes mediated e.g. you can
play online chess instead of having to play it in real life
- Media can amalgamate activities mediated + face-to-face e.g. activism
online and in real life
- Media can force activities to adapt to media’s format media can influence other
institutions that they adapt to media
Mediated done through media
Mediatization change by media
MEDIA LOGIC:
- The rules and codes of media
- Frame of reference in the production of media culture
- Visions, conventions, styles & affordances (what we can do with media) of media
Media logic examples:
- 4S – model: sex, sport, sensation and scandal
- Commercial logic
- Short and snappy
- Serial & viral sharable
- Private => public media wants to expose your private life e.g. royal family
dramas
- Rules & affordances – Twitter limitations and things that you can share and cannot
Understanding mediatization by looking at…
Field Theory – Bourdieu
Structuration Theory – Giddens
FIELD THEORY FOR MEDIATIZATION
Fields are composed of autonomous and heteronomous poles:
- Autonomous poles – field act according to its own logic health experts acting to
the health logic e.g. media affecting the poles of other institutions making them
autonomous
- Heteronomous poles – field acts under the influence of other fields when the
institution is changed by the resources of other institutions e.g. health carers
working under the logic of media, being changed by media
STRUCTURATION THEORY FOR MEDIATIZATION
Structures, formed by rules and resources, are modified by agents and agents act within the
frames of structures how are structures of institutions have its own rules and resources that
are modified by agents, people who act withing those rules and structures agents are
constraint by the rules and structures and can change it
,Media share resources & rules with other institutions media logic influences the
heteronomous poles the constant action and sharing may result in a change in institutions
mediatization changing other institutions
How do media feature in these phenomena?
- Media cause form of protests and solidarity
- Those protests/solidarity just exist because of media
Why do we need a new/different theory of media and social change?
- Media are not powerful simply because they are (used) everywhere! It is not just
about mediated practices it’s about how media is changing institutions and social
structures
- McLuhan, Baudrillard we need a theory beyond use and content
McLuhan – the medium is the message
Baudrillard – The Gulf War did not happen
What are the key characteristics of the theory of mediatization?
- Media as integral part of institutions, but also as an institution with its own logic
(influencing other institutions’ rules, attitudes and practices)
- Hjarvard – dual process integral part of/independent social institution
(How) Can we empirically research the mediatization of different social institutions?
- For example, by investigating traces of media logic in other institutions
- Traces of pervasive media logic
Mediatization – media’s impact on political communication and other effects on politics
Mediatization allows to investigate changes in society:
- Media as an institution with their own rules & practices
- Media as integrated with other institutions influencing their rules & practices
TUTORIAL WEEK 1
What does he mean with the “dialectic structure” of mediatization?
Why is the term ‘affordances’ so important for mediatization theory?
NAMES KENT US?
OUTHIDEN SNOW – MEDIA LOGIC
LECTURE WEEK 2
Mediatization theory’s building blocks – the media have coms integrated into the operations
of other social institutions, while they also have acquired the status of social institutions in
their own right. As a consequence, social interaction – within the respective institutions,
between institutions, and in society at large – take place via the media
STUCTURATION THEORY
What is an institution?
, SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Rules
- Signification (status)
- Legitimation (norms)
Resources
- Authoritative (power)
- Allocative (capital)
FIELD THEORY
How do institutions transform and interact with each other?
- Autonomous and heteronomous poles
- Independent and intervening poles
For example in politics:
- Political logic (autonomous)
- The rise of the spin doctor as a result of media logic (heteronomous)
For example in art:
- Aesthetic value (autonomous)
- Market value (heteronomous)
What do we know so far about mediatization theory?
- Mediatization’s duality structure (Hjarvard)
- Traces of pervasive media logic in social institutions’ way of doing things (Atheie &
Snow)
- Mediatization is process-oriented (Strömback: mediation # mediatization)
How to trace/define the mediatization of politics
How we can examine the mediatization of politics
Why do we need to examine the mediatization of politics?
How can we define/trace the mediatization of politics?
MEDIA’S DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME
1. Mass media become the main source of information
2. Mass media become independent from political power
3. Political and social actors start adapting to mass media
LECTURE WEEK 1
Why do we need a new/different theory of media and social change?
What are the key characteristics of the theory of mediatization?
(How) Can we empirically research the mediatization of different social institutions?
The Quantifiable self our own view (or fear) as tracked by different mechanisims by
different structures provided by media
Can all these interactions change how ‘health’ operates?
Health Mediatized Health
Focus on information and illness Health is an individual issue
Medical treatment and medical care The role of experts is “diminished” in
communicated by experts communication
Public health Health as one’s lifestyle
Quantification of the self
Media & Health as institutions:
- Health logic/health resources based on logic and professionals and fewer health
information
- Media logic/media resources the way media works and the way media is
structured
MEDIATIZATION OF HEATLH
- Media influences health practices and resources
- Media logic applied to health
Mediatization theory – the duality of media as an independent institution and as intertwined
with other institutions. It investigates the complex relations between media and other
institutions
media have become an integrated part of social institutions
media have grown into an (independent) social institution
Historical development of media
,4 TYPES OF MEDIATIZATION PROCESSES (WINFRIED SCHULZ)
- Media can extend human communication not only face-to-face communication,
but nowadays you can phone, mail and text
- Media can substitute activities face-to-face becomes mediated e.g. you can
play online chess instead of having to play it in real life
- Media can amalgamate activities mediated + face-to-face e.g. activism
online and in real life
- Media can force activities to adapt to media’s format media can influence other
institutions that they adapt to media
Mediated done through media
Mediatization change by media
MEDIA LOGIC:
- The rules and codes of media
- Frame of reference in the production of media culture
- Visions, conventions, styles & affordances (what we can do with media) of media
Media logic examples:
- 4S – model: sex, sport, sensation and scandal
- Commercial logic
- Short and snappy
- Serial & viral sharable
- Private => public media wants to expose your private life e.g. royal family
dramas
- Rules & affordances – Twitter limitations and things that you can share and cannot
Understanding mediatization by looking at…
Field Theory – Bourdieu
Structuration Theory – Giddens
FIELD THEORY FOR MEDIATIZATION
Fields are composed of autonomous and heteronomous poles:
- Autonomous poles – field act according to its own logic health experts acting to
the health logic e.g. media affecting the poles of other institutions making them
autonomous
- Heteronomous poles – field acts under the influence of other fields when the
institution is changed by the resources of other institutions e.g. health carers
working under the logic of media, being changed by media
STRUCTURATION THEORY FOR MEDIATIZATION
Structures, formed by rules and resources, are modified by agents and agents act within the
frames of structures how are structures of institutions have its own rules and resources that
are modified by agents, people who act withing those rules and structures agents are
constraint by the rules and structures and can change it
,Media share resources & rules with other institutions media logic influences the
heteronomous poles the constant action and sharing may result in a change in institutions
mediatization changing other institutions
How do media feature in these phenomena?
- Media cause form of protests and solidarity
- Those protests/solidarity just exist because of media
Why do we need a new/different theory of media and social change?
- Media are not powerful simply because they are (used) everywhere! It is not just
about mediated practices it’s about how media is changing institutions and social
structures
- McLuhan, Baudrillard we need a theory beyond use and content
McLuhan – the medium is the message
Baudrillard – The Gulf War did not happen
What are the key characteristics of the theory of mediatization?
- Media as integral part of institutions, but also as an institution with its own logic
(influencing other institutions’ rules, attitudes and practices)
- Hjarvard – dual process integral part of/independent social institution
(How) Can we empirically research the mediatization of different social institutions?
- For example, by investigating traces of media logic in other institutions
- Traces of pervasive media logic
Mediatization – media’s impact on political communication and other effects on politics
Mediatization allows to investigate changes in society:
- Media as an institution with their own rules & practices
- Media as integrated with other institutions influencing their rules & practices
TUTORIAL WEEK 1
What does he mean with the “dialectic structure” of mediatization?
Why is the term ‘affordances’ so important for mediatization theory?
NAMES KENT US?
OUTHIDEN SNOW – MEDIA LOGIC
LECTURE WEEK 2
Mediatization theory’s building blocks – the media have coms integrated into the operations
of other social institutions, while they also have acquired the status of social institutions in
their own right. As a consequence, social interaction – within the respective institutions,
between institutions, and in society at large – take place via the media
STUCTURATION THEORY
What is an institution?
, SOCIAL STRUCTURE
Rules
- Signification (status)
- Legitimation (norms)
Resources
- Authoritative (power)
- Allocative (capital)
FIELD THEORY
How do institutions transform and interact with each other?
- Autonomous and heteronomous poles
- Independent and intervening poles
For example in politics:
- Political logic (autonomous)
- The rise of the spin doctor as a result of media logic (heteronomous)
For example in art:
- Aesthetic value (autonomous)
- Market value (heteronomous)
What do we know so far about mediatization theory?
- Mediatization’s duality structure (Hjarvard)
- Traces of pervasive media logic in social institutions’ way of doing things (Atheie &
Snow)
- Mediatization is process-oriented (Strömback: mediation # mediatization)
How to trace/define the mediatization of politics
How we can examine the mediatization of politics
Why do we need to examine the mediatization of politics?
How can we define/trace the mediatization of politics?
MEDIA’S DEVELOPMENT OVER TIME
1. Mass media become the main source of information
2. Mass media become independent from political power
3. Political and social actors start adapting to mass media
