Communicative Interaction, Power, and the State : A Method

The work of early social scientists George Herbert Mead and Kenneth Burke has been buried beneath layers of theoretical discourse in the field of communication. In this book Frank Stark takes a fresh look at Mead’s theory of communicative interaction and Burke’s concepts of rhetoric and dramatism, and explores how these ideas can be applied to political analysis.

The study begins with a review of the basic tenets of Mead’s and Burke’s theories, then goes on to apply those theories to an analysis of communicative interaction in relation to the state. In particular, Stark looks at the constitution of the state and other institutions; persuasion, propaganda, and public policy; and the implications of international communications for states. In all three areas, Stark draws on research pertaining to Canada and the African state of Cameroon. The last section introduces dramatism as a metaphor suitable for shaping empirical research.

By returning to original sources, this book enriches contemporary discourse in communication. Stark has put together an intriguing study of the relationship between social communication and the state.

FRANK M. STARK is a member of the Department of Sociology and Anthropology, University of Guelph.