探索文明的进路——西方媒介社会学的历史、现状与趋势

为更好地讨论和发展媒介社会学,赋予其更广阔的理论与实践内涵,文章为媒介社会学划定了一个大致的学科领域范围。并在此基础上梳理了西方媒介社会学的理论渊源和十大理论成果,认为媒介社会学的发展应该超越单纯的传播学分支学科概念,成为理解传播现象和推进社会理论的潜在范式。同时指出,对于媒介符号充斥的现代社会中人的生存状态以及社会组织方式的研究是媒介社会学的关注焦点,也引领着其未来发展趋势。

Exploring the Approach to Civilization: The History, Present Situation and Future Development of Western Media Sociology

In order to promote the discussion and development of media sociology, and enable it to have more theoretical and practical significance, this paper defines a general subject area for media sociology. Synthesizing the theoretical origins and ten theoretical achievements of media sociology, this paper argues that media sociology should develop from the mere concept as a branch subject of communication to the potential paradigm of understanding phenomena in communication and promoting social theory. Conclusively, this paper suggests that the focus of media sociology is the living condition of the human beings and social structure in the modern society full of media, which will lead the future trends of media sociology.