During the Cold War, study of international communication focused on comparing and contrasting media in the Eastern Bloc nations with those in the West. Research also examined the flow of information between developed and developing nations. The potential for mass media to accelerate economic, social and political development was studied. With the end of the Cold War and the rise of powerful new media, the focus of international communication research has changed. Increasingly, media are studied as an important element in the creation of civil society and as a means of facilitating certain forms of social and economic development. For example, considerable attention is focusing on use of media to promote awareness of health risks and how to deal with these risks. The potential for media to increase or impede understanding of other nations and cultures is also studied.

Within the College of Communications, the study of international communication often overlaps with research in other areas, especially political communication and telecommunications. For example, research looking at media and political development overlaps with political communication while research on media and economic development overlaps with telecommunications.

International communication research in the College takes many forms and uses a broad range of qualitative and quantitative research methods-from survey and focus group research to content analysis. A variety of theories is used to guide international communication research. For example, research examining media and development continues to be structured by diffusion theories but these theories are supplemented by other approaches including framing theories, civil society theories and various information transmission and opinion formation theories.

Ronald Bettig

Colleen Connolly-Ahern

Dennis Davis

Michael Elavsky

Jeanne Hall

Dorn Hetzel

John Nichols

Anthony Olorunnisola

Amit Schejter