Communication Technology and Social Change: Theory and Implications

Communication Technology and Social Change is a distinctive collection that provides current theoretical, empirical, and legal analyses for a broader understanding of the dynamic influences of communication technology on social change. With a distinguished panel of contributors, the volume presents a systematic discussion of the role communication technology plays in shaping social, political, and economic influences in society within specific domains and settings. Its integrated focus expands and complements the scope of existing literature on this subject. Each chapter is organized around a specific structure, covering: *Backgroundoffering an introduction of relevant communication technology that outlines its technical capabilities, diffusion, and uses; *Theoryfeaturing a discussion of relevant theories used to study the social impacts of the communication technology in question; *EmpiricalFindingsproviding an analysis of recent academic and relevant practical work that explains the impact of the communication technology on social change; and *Social Change Implicationsproposing a summary of the real world implications for social change that stems from synthesizing the relevant theories and empirical findings presented throughout the book. Communication Technology and Social Change will serve scholars, researchers, upper-division undergraduate students, and graduate students examining the relationship between communication and technology and its implications for society.

Carolyn A. Lin is a Professor of Communication Sciences. Lin’s research interests focus on the content, uses, and effects of new media technologies, health communication, advertising, public relations, and international communication. She is the founder of the Communication Technology Division at the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communication. Some of her current research projects include two federally-funded studies that implement interactive-media technology based health intervention programs, an externally-funded study that examines the diffusion effects of digital and satellite radio technology. She was a recipient of a University Distinguished Research Faculty award. 
David J. Atkin is a Professor of Communication Sciences. Atkin has done work on the adoption, use, and regulation of new media. He received the prestigious Krieghbaum Under-40 award, granted annually for distinction in research by the Association for Education in Journalism & Mass Communciation. Atkin was a recipient of a University Distinguished Research as well as Teaching Awards. He is ranked among the 80 most prolific scholars in the history of our discipline, the 25 most prolific since 1995, and the two most prolific scholars in telecommunication as well as communication policy.