Encyclopedia of Communication Theory (1ST ed.)

Biographical Note:

Stephen Littlejohn (Ph.D., University of Utah), is a conflict management consultant, mediator, facilitator, and trainer. He is consultant for the Public Dialogue Consortium and a partner in Domenici Littlejohn, Inc. Stephen is co-author of Moral Conflict: When Social Worlds Collide (Sage, 1997) and has written numerous other books and articles on communication and conflict. He was a professor of communication at Humboldt State University in California and is currently Adjunct Professor of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico. He has done research on mediation and conflict management for 19 years and has been an active mediator for eight. Stephen has been a consultant for such clients as the Waco Youth Summit, the Alliance for Constructive Communication, the City of Cupertino, Columbia Basin College, and Washington State University.

Karen Foss (Ph.D., University of Iowa) is Regents' Professor and until recently was Chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico and has joined Stephen Littlejohn as a co-author on his bestselling textbook, Theories of Human Communication, 9th Edition. She has been at the University of New Mexico since 1993 and in that time served not only as a departmental chair but also as Director of Graduate Studies for the department and as Director of Women's Studies. In 2005, she received the Gender Scholar of the Year award from the Southern States Communication Association and was named Presidential Teaching Fellow for 2004-2006. Her research interests include contemporary rhetoric and criticism, social movements and social change, and feminist perspectives on communication. In addition to her work on Theories of Human Communication, she has co-authored Women Speak: The Eloquence of Women's Lives, Inviting Transformation: Presentational Speaking for a Changing World, Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric, Feminist Rhetorical Theory (SAGE 1999) and Readings in Feminist Rhetorical Theory (SAGE 2004). Dr. Foss regularly teaches feminist rhetorical theory; rhetorical criticism; rhetorical theory; women, agency, and change; and public speaking.

With more than 300 entries, these two volumes provide a one-stop source for a comprehensive overview of communication theory, offering current descriptions of theories as well as the background issues and concepts that comprise these theories. This is the first resource to summarize, in one place, the diversity of theory in the communication field.

Key Themes

• Applications and Contexts
• Critical Orientations
• Cultural Orientations
• Cybernetic and Systems Orientations
• Feminist Orientations
• Group and Organizational Concepts
• Information, Media, and Communication Technology
• International and Global Concepts
• Interpersonal Concepts
• Non-Western Orientations
• Paradigms, Traditions, and Schools
• Philosophical Orientations
• Psycho-Cognitive Orientations
• Rhetorical Orientations
• Semiotic, Linguistic, and Discursive Orientations
• Social/Interactional Orientations
• Theory, Metatheory, Methodology, and Inquiry

Review Citations:

• Library Journal 11/15/2009 pg. 83 (EAN 9781412959377, Hardcover)
• Choice 02/01/2010 (EAN 9781412959377, Hardcover)
• Reference and Research Bk News 11/01/2009 pg. 249 (EAN 9781412959377, Hardcover)

Contributor Bio:Littlejohn, Stephen W
Stephen Littlejohn (Ph.D., University of Utah), is a conflict management consultant, mediator, facilitator, and trainer. He is consultant for the Public Dialogue Consortium and a partner in Domenici Littlejohn, Inc. Stephen is co-author of Moral Conflict: When Social Worlds Collide (Sage, 1997) and has written numerous other books and articles on communication and conflict. He was a professor of communication at Humboldt State University in California and is currently Adjunct Professor of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico. He has done research on mediation and conflict management for 19 years and has been an active mediator for eight. Stephen has been a consultant for such clients as the Waco Youth Summit, the Alliance for Constructive Communication, the City of Cupertino, Columbia Basin College, and Washington State University.

Contributor Bio:Foss, Karen A
Karen Foss (Ph.D., University of Iowa) is Regents' Professor and until recently was Chair of the Department of Communication and Journalism at the University of New Mexico and has joined Stephen Littlejohn as a co-author on his bestselling textbook, Theories of Human Communication, 9th Edition. She has been at the University of New Mexico since 1993 and in that time served not only as a departmental chair but also as Director of Graduate Studies for the department and as Director of Women's Studies. In 2005, she received the Gender Scholar of the Year award from the Southern States Communication Association and was named Presidential Teaching Fellow for 2004-2006. Her research interests include contemporary rhetoric and criticism, social movements and social change, and feminist perspectives on communication. In addition to her work on Theories of Human Communication, she has co-authored Women Speak: The Eloquence of Women's Lives, Inviting Transformation: Presentational Speaking for a Changing World, Contemporary Perspectives on Rhetoric, Feminist Rhetorical Theory (SAGE 1999) and Readings in Feminist Rhetorical Theory (SAGE 2004). Dr. Foss regularly teaches feminist rhetorical theory; rhetorical criticism; rhetorical theory; women, agency, and change; and public speaking.