An analysis of the nature, role and impact of communications within the international arena since 1945. Taylor provides an accessible guide to this growing field for students of media, communications studies and international history.

Tracing the development of communication markets and the regulation of international communications from the 1840s through World War I, Jill Hills examines the political, technological, and economic forces at work during the formative century of global communication. Hills analyzes power relations within the arena of global communications from the inception of the telegraph through the successive technologies of submarine telegraph cables, ship-to-shore wireless, broadcast radio, shortwave wireless, the telephone, and movies with sound. As she shows, global communication began to overtake transportation as an economic, political, and social force after the inception of the telegraph, which shifted communications from national to international. From that point on, information was a commodity and ownership of the communications infrastructure became valuable as the means of distributing information. The struggle for control of that infrastructure occurred in part because British control of communications hindered the growing economic power of the United States. Hills outlines the technological advancements and regulations that allowed the United States to challenge British hegemony and enter the global communications market. She demonstrates that control of global communication was part of a complex web of relations between and within the government and corporations of Britain and the United States. Detailing the interplay between American federal regulation and economic power, Hills shows how these forces shaped communications technologies and illuminates the contemporary systems of power in global communications.

Hamid Mowlana, for decades, has been one of the foremost trackers and analyzers of global communications--their volume, character, and impact. No one is more qualified to explain these increasingly important and central issues to a wide public. --Herbert S. Schiller, New York University The rapid changes in the way we communicate across the globe continue to alter the many facets of society. Both interdisciplinary and intercultural in its approach, Global Communication in Transition examines the human dimensions and technological imperatives of international communications. Author Hamid Mowlana provides a comprehensive analysis beginning with the rise of modern political systems and the interactions of various cultures, through the expansion of social organizations and the growing global infrastructure. This unique perspective on global communication is organized around a number of basic concepts such as history, power, community, legitimacy, and language. By analyzing the political, economic, and cultural implications of communication today, within the broader concepts of such issues as community, Mowlana provides a new paradigm for the study of international communication. This auspicious text covers the history, theories, processes, and issues of international communication. Advanced undergraduates and graduate students in political science and international relations as well as communication will benefit greatly from the insightful scholarship offered in Global Communication in Transition.

The new edition of this major work offers a comprehensive analysis of international communication systems and the global flow of information. Hamid Mowlana places the analysis of global mass media and other forms of communication within a critical overview of international and intercultural relations. Extensively rewritten and revised, Global Information and World Communication deals with the phenomenon of global information flow in all contexts - political, economic, cultural, technological, legal and professional. Mowlana illustrates how different communication strategies and systems have contributed to the creation of powerful interests and have altered the global scene. He takes into account recent events and sho

Addressing the impact on national societies and cultures of the headlong rate of change in communication between nations, the contributors offer new approaches to this complex and rapidly growing field. The ethics of global communication are discussed.

"Comprehensive in its scope and scale, rigorously argued and richly illustrated with wide-ranging examples, this clearly written and user-friendly book from a veteran commentator on international communication will be valuable for students and scholars. Strongly recommended." - Daya Thussu, Professor of International Communication, University of Westminster Global Communication explores the history, present and future of global communication, introducing and explaining the theories, stories and flows of information and media that affect us all. Based on his experience teaching generations of students to critically examine the world of communication around them, Cees Hamelink helps readers understand the thinkers, concepts and questions in this changing landscape. This book: Explores the cultural, economic, political and social dimensions and consequences of global communication Introduces the key thinkers who have been inspirational to the field Teaches you to master the art of asking critical questions Takes you through concrete cases from UN summits to hot lines and cyber-surveillance Boosts your essay skills with a guided tour of the literature, including helpful comments and recommendations of what to cite Brings you directly into the classroom with a series of video lectures This book guides students through the complex terrain of global communication, helping you become a critically informed participant in the ever-changing communication landscape. It is essential reading for students of communication and media studies.