'The analytical study of communication and media is central to Essay

'The analytical study of communication and media is central to understanding the ways we live now'. Discuss - Essay Example Hence, the essence is communication and its expression is through different media including language. The scope of variety in media is reflected in the statement, â€Å"In asking what computers can do, we are drawn into asking what people do with them, and in the end into addressing the fundamental question of what it means to be human† (Winograd and Flores 1986, p.7). Here, the medium referred to is computers. Keeping in view this diversity in media forms and the different ways of communication that is made through them, this essay is an attempt to understand, how and why communication and media is central to understanding the ways we live now. Now we have two types of media; one is the media that helps communication among two individuals, or within a small group which is called local media and the second is mass media or global media (Machin and Leeuwen, 2007, p.7-10). While media like a low range microphone or a telephone are considered as included in the first category, me dia like, newspapers, magazines, film, radio etc. are considered as mass media because they can at a time reach out to ‘n’ number of people (Machin and Leeuwen, 2007, p.7-10). ... example, Hall (19 June 1992, p.8) has drawn attention to the creation of new ‘cultures of hybridity†, brought about by the interaction of local media with the global (mass) media. Here, the reference is to a new kind of culture that is emerging out of the interactions with local and global media. It has to be remembered that before mass media emerged, â€Å"public life was linked to a common locale; an event became public when a plurality of people physically congregated to hear and see the communication of a message, whether a band of traveling minstrels or an execution in the town square† (Craig, 2004, p.6). In this way, media created a new kind of public life and also helped us to understand it as well. In the context of a medium like television, when viewed in a house hold, it has been observed that, â€Å"the spatial separation of producer from consumer, combined with the temporal simultaneity and continuity of transmission and reception, have given rise to a n ‘aesthetic’ and a communicative style† (Moores, 2000, p.13). It is through this complex prism of space and time, that we now view life. Another interesting aspect has been that the media has made it possible for us to see ourselves very closely and from new different angles. This is why we say that now our life is â€Å"mediated† (Craig, 2004, p.4). Especially, media and the communication through them have been viewed as â€Å"the sites where the meanings of public life are generated, debated and evaluated† (Craig, 2004, p.4). Media and communication have been crucial in developing our outlook of a global society, in expanding our vision of the world, bringing news from all around the world to us within no time, media and communication have made us aware what we are, by helping our knowledge to

Grounded Theory Project - Respectful Interaction Essay

Grounded Theory Project - Respectful Interaction - Essay Example These ideas were investigated using qualitative analysis as well as the construct of ethnography. The general, overall theme is self-consciousness of interaction which is respectful in various situations which denote three dominant themes and one emerging theme that was taken directly from data utilizing the Ground Theory Method: (1) transformative behaviors; (2) self-consciousness of one’s self and others; (3) maintaining and developing situational awareness; and (4) alteration of attitudes for the purposes of social contracts and societal approval. Methods: Data Collection and Analysis of Interview Results The coding that was done was completed due to having analyzed a total of 37 narratives as well as select interviews, most of which dealt with the idea of respective interaction. Four personal interviews were used in order to look at the unique categories which emerged that also consequently had similar elements. After starting to code in the beginning, Axial coding was use d. This was how categories were realized. The importance was in looking for relationships that would form a categorization, then connecting the four categories that were identified. The coding helped one comprehend various happenings that had effects on the element of respectful interaction. At the same time, discourse explaining the similarities was looked at in-depth. In addition, codes which were most prevalent among the 37 participants in the study were found, in addition to those which were utilized less frequently. As such, starting off with minimal knowledge, the participants knew about various reactions they had had in various situations, finding out that theme kept reoccurring within the scope of the study. The difficulty in managing all the various themes was what inspired the entire coding process. At that stage, categories were reworked in order to collude the findings with the theory. Looking at why the coding was done, one begins to realize the logic behind the code. T he grounded theory method informed data analysis. Various techniques were used in order to figure out categories, as well as analyze elements that came directly from the copy of the interviews that were listened to or read aloud. These elements were connected together to established, legitimate theories. Reading through various notes taken on the subject, several themes developed. As the categories themselves came to fruition, data was compared amongst categories. The categories seemed to be like pieces of a puzzle which each had different parts. In analysis of the interview results, what was summarily done was coding. Coding was utilized in order to find the various elements that would illuminate the various types of groups. As the coding was occurring, it was observed that although these elements vary in nature, they happened to show actions that circled around a familiar entity which was comprised of consciousness of oneself as well as other people. This entity could be categoriz ed under a more vague concept, which was a category entitled detachment. The three common themes show the prevalent necessity of respectful interaction, especially in the context of networking and making friendships adn acquaintances