Missing Marx: The Place of Marx in Current Communication Research and the Place of Communication in Marx’s Work
İrfan Erdogan
Abstract:
This study was designed (1) to
test Marx’s theoretical statements on the nature of dominant ideas in a society
by investigating the character of scholarly practices in academic publishing,
and (2) to demonstrate the falseness of claims about Marx’s disinterest in
communication by presenting and evaluating his writings on communication. The
study combines quantitative and qualitative methods for data collection and
analysis. It has two study populations and multiple samples. The first one
includes the articles in communication journals cited by Thomson Reuters’
Social Sciences Citation Index. The second one contains all writings of Marx on
communication. The findings indicate that (1) the articles are mostly
functional to the ruling interests, (2) they mostly exclude Marx and critical
issues that question the ruling material and immaterial mode and relations in
communication and society, (3) most alternative approaches are controlled
alternatives and overtly or covertly directed against Marx’s method and
explanations. Regarding Marx’s interest in communication, contrary to the
claims that he had no or minimal interest, Marx provided invaluable
explanations about communication. Hence communication scholars should pay close
attention if they want to understand the nature and function of communication
in society and social change.
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