The study of communication, language, and discourse is at once simple, elegant, and complex. Each of these areas is informed by "micro" subjective experiences of individuals and the "macro" processes of a culture. Communication itself is thoroughly modern yet it seeks anchorage in the traditions of the humanities and social sciences. All of this creates a significant challenge.
In this monograph, Ellis considers the study of communication as he discusses three key issues in communication theory: (1) the growing emphasis on meaning, (2) the importance of a mediated culture, and (3) the links between micro communication activities and macro social categories such as ethnicity and social class. In response to these three issues, this book deals with the way people use language and communication to construct their world; this world is not constructed purely but is influenced by attitudes, ideologies, and biases. In the modern world the medium of communication has an impact on consciousness and society, and Ellis shows how the media are responsible for some of the fault lines in society. The book also explores principles of medium theory and documents the impact of media on psychological and sociological phenomena. Finally, work of Goffman, Giddens, and Randall Collins is extended to show how micro communication behaviors are implicated in and by social conditions.
ADDITIONAL COPY FOR MAILER
Expanded features:
* The chapters work out a logic connecting real communication patterns with the broad principles upon which societies are explored. Thus the title "Crafting" Society--the crafting is purposefully active to indicate the dynamic processes involved in creating what we call society. Society and culture have their roots and empirical bases in communication; that is, in the daily struggles of interaction.
* Two chapters on two of the most important and controversial issues of the day--ethnicity and class. These two chapters are clear illustrations of the new theoretical principles discussed throughout the book.
* A chapter on social class is very unique for a book devoted to communication processes. Communication theorists do not usually write about class, even though it is a highly symbolic process and rooted in communication patterns. Class is a difficult concept in America since so few people, other than sociologists, care to talk about it.
* A chapter on medium theory takes the bold step of experimenting a little by summarizing basic causal statements and propositions. This device underscores the goal of a theory which is to come to grips with testable statements. The focus is on medium theory and how the media influence consciousness and social structure.
* A unique chapter takes up the issue of how communication processes are constitutive of social structures. It draws on work by Giddens and others to return to a concept of structure based on actions that produce and reproduce structure.

The study of communication, language, and discourse is at once simple, elegant, and complex. Each of these areas is informed by "micro" subjective experiences of individuals and the "macro" processes of a culture. Communication itself is thoroughly modern yet it seeks anchorage in the traditions of the humanities and social sciences. All of this creates a significant challenge. In this monograph, Ellis considers the study of communication as he discusses three key issues in communication theory: (1) the growing emphasis on meaning, (2) the importance of a mediated culture, and (3) the links between micro communication activities and macro social categories such as ethnicity and social class. In response to these three issues, this book deals with the way people use language and communication to construct their world; this world is not constructed purely but is influenced by attitudes, ideologies, and biases. In the modern world the medium of communication has an impact on consciousness and society, and Ellis shows how the media are responsible for some of the fault lines in society. The book also explores principles of medium theory and documents the impact of media on psychological and sociological phenomena. Finally, work of Goffman, Giddens, and Randall Collins is extended to show how micro communication behaviors are implicated in and by social conditions. ADDITIONAL COPY FOR MAILER Expanded features: * The chapters work out a logic connecting real communication patterns with the broad principles upon which societies are explored. Thus the title "Crafting" Society--the crafting is purposefully active to indicate the dynamic processes involved in creating what we call society. Society and culture have their roots and empirical bases in communication; that is, in the daily struggles of interaction. * Two chapters on two of the most important and controversial issues of the day--ethnicity and class. These two chapters are clear illustrations of the new theoretical principles discussed throughout the book. * A chapter on social class is very unique for a book devoted to communication processes. Communication theorists do not usually write about class, even though it is a highly symbolic process and rooted in communication patterns. Class is a difficult concept in America since so few people, other than sociologists, care to talk about it. * A chapter on medium theory takes the bold step of experimenting a little by summarizing basic causal statements and propositions. This device underscores the goal of a theory which is to come to grips with testable statements. The focus is on medium theory and how the media influence consciousness and social structure. * A unique chapter takes up the issue of how communication processes are constitutive of social structures. It draws on work by Giddens and others to return to a concept of structure based on actions that produce and reproduce structure.

This student-oriented book introduces and explains the dynamics of conflict and resolution_particularly in ethnic, ethnopolitical, and intercultural or intergroup conflicts. Providing a basic overview of the elements of group conflict, ethnicity, identity, and diasporas, the book also explores the role of the mass media and key ways of using communication principles to understand and resolve conflict. It focuses on how to resolve problems by changing relationships and building new patterns of communication, not just managing or settling problems through acceptable political agreements. Transforming Conflict is a valuable text or supplement for courses in conflict resolution as well as international, group, or intercultural communication.

Radical Conflict addresses conflict at interpersonal and communal, legal and rhetorical, ethnopolitical, global, and geopolitical levels. The conflicts analyzed are "radical" because in each some intense and often prolonged violence takes place. The chapters address different kinds of violence(s)-physical and gratuitous, structural and socio-economic, legal and symbolic, all with significant ill effects and injustices that spiral in all directions. All share an interest in exploring imaginatively and speculatively what can be done to attenuate such cycles of violence. The volume analyzes how recurrent narratives, mythologies, media(ted) constructions and other discourse(s) of liberal democratic and authoritarian states play a significant role in exacerbating or thwarting violence, exposing, escalating, legitimizing, rationalizing, propagating, but also possibly mitigating violence in all of its forms. Each contributor provides a critical interpretation of the status of the conflict under inquiry, including: a teacher verbally abusing and ridiculing a student then exposing it in social media; a community torn apart by environmental disaster; the incommensurate but not incommensurable conflict between Israelis and Palestinians; the Muslim Brotherhood and the militarized state(s) of Egypt and Libya; urban discourses in cyberspace among Moroccan and Maghreb youth that have become counter-signifying publics against oppression of the state; the role of media and violence in Zimbabwe's political struggle; the impact of the Circassian diaspora in global politics especially in the United States; India's soft power approach to the Kashmir conflict as a way to capitalize on it through tourism; the agonistic discourses that pervade the conflict over the Sahara and deprive Sahrawi people of rights; and how the liberal state is implicated in the gratuitous violence of ISIL. The volume also offers a section on the rhetoric of exclusionary laws associated with intractable conflicts of the abortion conflict, the right to die controversy, and a Burkean perspective on violence in Bangladesh. Contributors suggest what can be done conceptually and politically to mitigate and end violations of those who are most vulnerable, banished, forgotten, damaged, and often silenced.

Examining the close relationship between principles of deliberative democracy, communication, and conflict resolution, this book argues that the nature of deliberative processes is underappreciated for conflict resolution in ethnopolitically divided societies, and that the communicative nature of democratic deliberation is ripe for theoretical and empirical expansion. The book examines the potential of deliberative democracy to contribute to conflict resolution, including issues of argument, deliberation, and political communication. Attention is also paid to the role of media, technology, and the internet. Offering a fully developed understanding of democratic communication and the resolution of conflicts, this book is suitable for scholars as well as students in upper division and graduate courses in a range of areas including communication, politics and government, sociology, and conflict studies.

This student-oriented book introduces and explains the dynamics of conflict and resolution particularly in ethnic, ethnopolitical, and intercultural or intergroup conflicts. Providing a basic overview of the elements of group conflict, ethnicity, identity, and diasporas, the book also explores the role of the mass media and key ways of using communication principles to understand and resolve conflict. It focuses on how to resolve problems by changing relationships and building new patterns of communication, not just managing or settling problems through acceptable political agreements. Transforming Conflict is a valuable text or supplement for courses in conflict resolution as well as international, group, or intercultural communication.

"From Language to Communication" focuses on the structure of texts and on the social and psychological aspects of language. Utilizing current thinking and research, this volume provides an overview of issues in linguistics, sociolinguistics, cognition, pragmatics, discourse, and semantics as they coalesce to create the communicative experience.
As a unique examination of the relationship between language and communication, key features of the second edition include:
* material on the biological bases of language,
* models of the mind and information processing,
* discussions of semantics and the creation of new words,
* conversation analysis with practical applications, and
* a chapter on sociolinguistics, including language and groups, dialects, and personal styles.
Designed as an introduction to language and communication study, this text is appropriate for use in undergraduate and graduate courses in discourse and related courses in language, meaning, and messages. It also makes an excellent companion volume for courses in theory or interpersonal communication.
ADDITIONAL COPY FOR MAILER
More readable and practical than its predecessor, this second edition contains major additions:
* A more general introduction to language and communication, including new material on the biological bases of language as well as a table of species comparisons and brain comparisons.
* New models of the mind and how you process information, including more on the role of short and long term memory. It also includes a section on the features of messages that aid in comprehension--in other words, how people use the messages of another to build meaning and comprehension.
* A new section on semantics, new words and how they come about, and a more interesting treatment of meaning and how it works. The section on new words details the many ways that new words come into being. The examples are interesting and engaging for the student.
* A new focus on pragmatics with a major new section on conversation analysis which includes very practical ways to apply the principles with numerous examples.
* A new chapter on sociolinguistics includes material on language and groups (including gender, African-American English, and social class) dialects, personal styles, and related issues.