Communication Science Overview
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Questions and Answers

What factor contributes to the stability or change of hegemonies?

  • Collective agreement and interaction among people (correct)
  • Economic growth in a society
  • External influences from other nations
  • Technological advancements in communication

What are ‘nodal points’ in the context of discourses?

  • Articulations that have no change over time
  • Specific concepts that serve as central signifiers (correct)
  • Ideas that are universally accepted without debate
  • Methods of communication used in dialogue

How does the Overton Window relate to hegemonic change?

  • It defines the range of acceptable policies to the mainstream population. (correct)
  • It limits public engagement in political discussions.
  • It restricts the political options available to politicians.
  • It ensures all voices are heard in a democratic process.

In what way can subcultures be vulnerable in relation to hegemonies?

<p>They are often isolated from broader societal debates. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements best describes the relationship between signifiers and signified in discourses?

<p>They are unstable and dependent on context. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does it mean for something to be a social construct?

<p>It exists because of collective human agreement. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a likely consequence of parallel hegemonies existing within a society?

<p>Misunderstandings and conflicts between groups (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role do ambitious politicians play in shaping hegemonic change?

<p>They seek to shift the range of acceptable policies through strategic actions. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best defines the concept of 'discourse' as described by Howarth and Stavrakakis?

<p>A system of meaningful practices forming identities of subjects and objects (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is a significant characteristic of a discourse according to Jørgensen & Phillips?

<p>It actively constructs a specific reality by giving meaning to it. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of social constructionism, what defines a 'social construct'?

<p>A concept created through human interaction and consensus (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does social constructionism differ from positivism in regards to language?

<p>Language is symbolic and constructs reality by assigning meaning. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does framing theory in poststructuralism emphasize?

<p>The subjective interpretation of social phenomena through frames (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following statements about discourse as an expression of power is true?

<p>Discourse can enable or disable certain social identities. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What role does language play in the context of social constructionism?

<p>It serves both to name and to construct realities. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to the definitions provided, which of the following best describes 'framing analysis'?

<p>An examination of how certain perspectives shape our understanding (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is the primary focus of a text's unity according to Barthes?

<p>The reader's interpretation (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'hegemony' refer to in social constructs?

<p>A power mechanism that solidifies dominant meanings (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

According to post-structuralism, how are meanings established?

<p>Through collective interaction and dialogue (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How do Laclau and Mouffe contribute to the understanding of hegemony?

<p>By linking hegemony to collective will and ideological terrain (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does post-structuralism suggest about social structures?

<p>They are internally incomplete and transformable (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is implicated when Barthes states that the reader is a 'man without history'?

<p>The reader's background does not influence the text's meaning (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In what way does cultural hegemony relate to societal ideas and values?

<p>It creates a historical bloc around dominant ideas (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes the perspective of post-structuralism on society's organization?

<p>It argues that society is conditional and transformable (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does social construction emphasize regarding meaning and interpretation?

<p>Meaning is ascribed to objects through human interaction. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

In the context of structuralism, what are the two components of a sign?

<p>Signifier and signified. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does poststructuralism differ from structuralism regarding signs?

<p>The relationship between signifiers and signifieds is contingent and context-dependent. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What concept does Derrida discuss in relation to language and meaning?

<p>Meaning cannot be fully captured or contained. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the 'death of the author' concept suggest?

<p>Meaning arises from the reader's interpretation rather than the author's intent. (A)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Which of the following best describes semiology?

<p>The study of signs in social context. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

How does social construction relate to concepts like marriage and gender?

<p>They are shaped and defined by social practices and interactions. (B)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What does the term 'free play' in Derrida's theory refer to?

<p>The playful nature of language that allows multiple interpretations. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Why is context important in understanding meaning in social constructs?

<p>Meaning can differ based on social, economic, and historical backgrounds. (C)</p> Signup and view all the answers

What is meant by the 'signifier' in social construction theory?

<p>The literal meaning of a sign. (D)</p> Signup and view all the answers

Flashcards

Poststructuralism

The study of how systems of meaning are constructed and how they shape our understanding of the world.

Discourse

Different ways of talking and acting that give meaning to the world, create social identities, and express power.

Framing Theory

A theory that emphasizes the influence of frames, or mental models, on our understanding of events.

Framing Analysis

A type of analysis that examines how frames are used to shape understanding and influence attitudes.

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Social Construction

The idea that language does not simply reflect reality but actively constructs it by assigning meaning to things.

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Social Construct

A concept that exists because humans agree that it does and act accordingly.

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Language as Code

The view that language is used to label a pre-existing reality.

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Language as Discourse

The view that language shapes reality by creating meaning and giving power to certain groups.

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Reader as an Abstract Concept

The reader is an abstract concept, not a specific individual, they embody all possible interpretations of the text.

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Textual Meaning is Not Fixed

The meaning of a text is not fixed by the author's intent, but emerges from the interactions of the reader with the text.

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Hegemony

Social constructs, widely accepted beliefs, and values that shape our understanding of the world.

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Intersubjective Social Construction

Social constructions emerge from collective interactions, agreements, and shared understandings.

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Hegemony's Reproducing Mechanism

The process by which social structures and meanings are reproduced and maintained as dominant forces within society.

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Absence of Determinative Principles

In poststructuralism, there are no essential truths or principles that determine social organization.

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Dislocated Social Structure (Post-structuralism)

Social structures are fluid, contingent, and open to transformation.

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Cultural Hegemony

Cultural hegemony is a form of hegemony that involves the dominant ideas and values of a society.

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Nodes

Elements within a discourse that gain meaning through interactions. Example: "Man-power-strong-assertive..."

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Nodal Points

Central signifiers within a discourse that hold significant weight. Example: "Freedom, equality, democracy..."

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Hegemonic Change

The process of changing the dominant beliefs and values of a society through collective action or concerted efforts.

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Overton Window

The range of policies that are considered politically acceptable to the mainstream population at a given time.

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Subcultures

Distinct sets of beliefs and values that exist alongside the dominant hegemony, forming separate communities or subcultures.

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Disinformation Vulnerability

Misinformation and fake news often target specific groups with different hegemonies than the mainstream, making them vulnerable to false information.

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Social Constructionism

Social constructionism analyzes how the world around us becomes a product of human interactions, interpretations, and understandings.

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Structuralism

It's a theory of meaning that posits that a 'sign' consists of a signifier (the outward form, like a word) and a signified (the mental concept, like the idea of a dog).

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Signifier

It refers to the outward form of a sign, like the written word "dog".

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Signified

It refers to the mental concept associated with a signifier, like the image of a dog in our mind.

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Denotation

It's the literal, defined meaning of a signifier, like a dictionary definition.

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Connotation

It's the range of meanings associated with a signifier depending on the context, like how 'cool' can mean different things in different contexts.

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Signification

It emphasizes that meaning is never fully complete, but a tentative agreement based on interpretations within a system.

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Death of the Author

It refers to the idea that the author's intention is not the primary factor in determining meaning, but rather the interpretation of the text.

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Study Notes

Communication Science

  • The presentation is on Communication Science, taught by Professor Dr. Thomas Jacobs.

Poststructuralism

  • Poststructuralism views 'discourse' as a theory of content and meaning.

New Book Information

  • "Hegemony, Discourse, and Political Strategy," by Thomas Jacobs, examines contestation and politicization in a post-Marxist framework.
  • The book revisits how left-wing forces can achieve political victory.
  • It builds upon Ernesto Laclau and Chantal Mouffe’s post-Marxist discourse theory .
  • The book analyzes how political strategies work and why they succeed or fail.
  • The study highlights how EU trade policy is contested and politicized.

Theories of Meaning

  • Framing theory focuses on frames (analyzed through framing analysis).
  • (Post)Structuralism focuses on discourse and discourse analysis.

What is Discourse?

  • Discourse definitions vary depending on the theory used.
  • One definition suggests that discourse is a system of meaningful practices that shape subject and object identities.
  • Another view suggests discourse functions as a way of talking and acting to socially construct meanings.
  • It also shapes, reproduces, and challenges hegemony, and represents power.
  • Discourse is a socially shared collection of ideas, statements, images, and so on, relating to a particular topic.

Language as Code vs. Language as Discourse

  • Language as code (positivism) views language as labeling pre-existing realities, sender-receiver transmission, and instrumental.
  • Social constructionism sees language as discourse, shaping reality by naming and giving meaning. Language is instrumental and symbolic.

Social Construction

  • Social constructionism suggests that ideas about reality originate from human interaction and consensus rather than intrinsic properties.
  • A social construct relies on human agreement and interaction for its existence.
  • Examples include countries and money. Poststructuralism analyzes the social construction process.
  • Marriage, gender roles, religion, and time are examples of social constructs.

Social Construction Process

  • Social construction is about how meaning and interpretation are socially created rather than inherent to the thing itself.
  • Meanings and connotations are assigned by humans to objects.
  • Human interactions and interpretations shape reality in a constant, dynamically changing manner.

Theory of Meaning

  • Structuralism posits a sign has two components: signifier (denotation) and signified (connotation).
  • However, these components aren't always linked in fixed pairs. Signifiers can have various, context-dependent signifieds (connotations).

Hegemony

  • Hegemony is the dominant social construct, describing the accepted social truths.
  • It evolves based on context and interactions between individuals.
  • It is a consequence of societal interaction.
  • Hegemonies can coexist and conflict.
  • Different groups have different hegemonies.
  • Hegemony is a power structure, a mechanism used by social constructs to reproduce and establish meaning in society.
  • Change in hegemony often results from collective efforts.
  • The Overton Window depicts the range of acceptable policies.

Power

  • Social constructs have tangible effects despite their human origin.
  • Hegemony, discourse, language, and communication have tangible consequences.
  • Poststructuralism is a cultural theory. Critical study is politically motivated.

Workload, Crisis, and Other Social Concerns

  • The presentation included points about current social concerns such as workload, refugee crises, employer/employee dynamics, and eco-realism.

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Description

This quiz covers key concepts in Communication Science as presented by Professor Dr. Thomas Jacobs. Topics include poststructuralism, discourse analysis, and the impact of political strategies as examined in Jacobs' book on hegemony and discourse. Test your understanding of these theories and their applications in contemporary communication studies.

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