Uses of democratic theory in media and communication studies

Authors

  • Kari Karppinen University of Helsinki

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS732013675

Keywords:

democracy, democratic theories, normative theories, media and communication studies, bibliometrics

Abstract

It is commonly accepted that different theories of democracy imply different normative frameworks for evaluating media performance. However, it has also been argued that media and communication researchers’ engagement with broader political theories remains underdeveloped and dependent on a narrow range of sources. The aim of this article is to map out in a basic quantitative fashion how different models of democracy are employed in media and communication studies. Some broad theoretical trends and omissions in the current academic debate on media and democracy are identified by analyzing central theorists, trends and patterns in the theoretical resources employed in academic journal articles within the field. This is done by analysing the keywords and names that appear in the Communication & Mass Media Complete (CMMC) database from 1990 to 2011.

Author Biography

Kari Karppinen, University of Helsinki

Postdoctoral researcher at the Department of Social Research, University of Helsinki.

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Published

2013-09-17

How to Cite

Karppinen, K. (2013). Uses of democratic theory in media and communication studies. Observatorio (OBS*), 7(3). https://doi.org/10.15847/obsOBS732013675

Issue

Vol. 7 No. 3 (2013)

Section

Articles

License

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