Interview with the editors: Mats Bergman, Kęstas Kirtiklis and Johan Siebers.
How did the idea for Models of Communication arise?
During one of the breaks at the 2013 Nordmedia conference, two of us (Kęstas and Mats) began chatting about fashionable and unfashionable topics in communication theory. We noted a curious fact: although models of communication are not at exactly in vogue – at least not in the way that they once were – many our colleagues deal with questions of communication modelling, albeit not always explicitly. Therefore, we thought it would be interesting to organise a workshop on the theme of models under the auspices of the ECREA Philosophy of Communication section. This took place in Vilnius in 2015. The volume at hand is primarily an outcome of the workshop, although some of the essays included were not presented in Vilnius.
Can you please present the varieties of communication models discussed in the book?
The book includes a number of discussions of familiar transmission and constitution models, but the approaches might be described as unconventional – in a positive sense. For example, one of the essays explores how Turing machines can contribute to constructivist / constitutive modelling, while another articulates a defence of the much-disparaged transmission model based on the contention that its central function is to identify key components of the communication process rather than a “linear” depiction of the flows of information. Some of the models discussed are limited to mass media and journalism; but there are also contributions that explore less familiar modalities of communication, leading to themes not customarily dealt with in treatments of communication modelling. There are chapters that outline approaches to communication models based on the philosophy of pragmatism and Norbert Elias’ figurative sociology – and many of the essays are critical of traditional conceptions of the communication model. Delving deeper than a mere presentation of various models on the market, the book includes articles that address questions of modelling in relation to the metaphysical and epistemological fundaments of communication theory. Consequently, the volume pays attention to certain aspects of communication – such as its ontological, natural, and even mystical dimensions – that Robert T. Craig identified as promising areas for further development in his seminal 1999 article “Communication theory as a field”. Hence, it is highly fitting that the first article of the book is a new essay – “Models of Communication in and as Metadiscourse” – by Craig.
What new insights does this book offer to communication scholars?
Since Dance’s 1967 helical model and Barnlund’s 1970 transactional model, there has been comparatively little innovative work done on communication modelling. We all know that the usual suspects come up all the time in research and scholarship. Models are not theories, but they can be used to structure theory and investigation or to articulate, simulate, transform, and critique varying aspects of communication situations. In communication studies, we do this quite regularly – and sometimes perhaps somewhat mechanically – using transmission and constitutive models as our main guiding lights. But given the complexity and richness of communicative phenomena, this simple dichotomy needs both elaboration and critical scrutiny. Here, we not only discuss old and new models of communication but also probe more fundamental ontological and epistemological issues in communication modelling.
So, on the one hand, the book presents a number of new (or forgotten) models that may prove conducive to inquiry. On the other, it addresses truly fundamental issues of communication theory seen through the lens of modelling. We hope that the book will contribute to a fruitful reassessment of the role that models may still can play in the development of communication research – without ignoring valid caveats concerning the shortcomings and perils of communication modelling. The book invites scholars to make more creative and imaginative use of the potential that modelling has to offer in conceptualising and studying communication – without forgetting the translation of theoretical research into practical and political interventions. Sensibly developed, communication models can be helpful tools for communicating about communication in real-world contexts when communication becomes problematic.
How do you think Models of Communication can be important for other areas of research on media and communications?
As a whole, this book offers a contribution to the theoretical and philosophical discussion about the nature of communication. We hope that it will support other areas of research by suggesting new ways to investigate, criticise, and transcend the most commonly held assumptions about communication. The book articulates varying approaches to creating new conceptualisations of communication, rooted in experience and philosophical reflection. But it also invites scholars of different stripes to explore novel ideas of communication in a more experimental spirit. Communication is a dynamic thing; and as Marshall McLuhan knew better than anyone else, an element of play is an essential part of our engagement with communication – something that should be kept in mind in empirical inquiry as well as in abstract theory. We hope that some of that attitude comes across in this book.
Do you feel this is a timely publication in terms of public debates?
The questions with which this book deals are primarily theoretical and philosophical, and in that sense comparatively timeless. On the other hand, one of the central aims of philosophical work is to problematise the seemingly obvious. This book will hopefully challenge the reader to imagine alternative possibilities for communication practice – something that is acutely needed today. Just think of datafication and the rather reductive view of communication that the discourse of datafication implies and tends to institutionalise. Seeking to articulate the richness of communication in vibrant and fruitful ways is more important than ever. Having a broader set of models to draw on can be a big help in this respect. Insights into the varying means by which we partition and comprehend the sphere of communication can therefore be useful for communication scholars engaged in public debates on communication ethics, mediatisation and the influence of (communication) technology on social and personal life. In this sense, this book raises vital questions concerning the basic conditions for our critical engagements with the role of communication and media in contemporary society.
How was the process of the ECREA book series and how important was it for your publication?
It is a great recognition of the role that our small Philosophy of Communication Section plays in ECREA and communication research in Europe. We are very happy that we were allowed to produce this book for the series and we hope that the readers will find it both thought-provoking and enjoyable.
Jelena Kleut
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