Year: 2004
Type: dissertation
Abstract: Critical theories have in the last decade become one of the dominant approaches in the field of international relations (IR).However, with their focus on discourse, critical theorists seem to be unable to appropriately account for the impact that media, or communication technologies, are having in the international realm.This paper tries to lay the groundwork for the development of a more comprehensive critical theory of the media in IR.The argument of this paper is that such a theory can be formulated by relying on the comparative media theory (CMT) developed by Ian Angus, a critical theorist himself.In developing this argument, the paper first reviews critical IR theories, followed by a critical assessment of Ronald Deibert's work.Deibert is the only scholar who has addressed this problem encountered by critical theorists, and put forward his own approach to international politics at the center of which lies the media.Deibert's work, however, suffers fi-om limitations of its own, seen from a critical perspective, because of its individualistic ontology.The paper then will attempt to introduce Angus' CMT, which is based on a holistic ontology, to rectify Deibert's problem, and to suggest future lines of research.
Source: Summit (Simon Fraser University)
Author: Alexandre Macmillan
Language: English
Field: Social Sciences
Domain: Social Sciences
Open Access status: green
OpenAlex ID: W2131829119