Communication Theory as a Field

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"Communication Theory as a Field" is a 1999 article by Robert T. Craig, attempting to unify the academic field of communication theory.^[1][2]

Craig argues that communication theorists can become unified in dialogue by charting what he calls the "dialogical dialectical tension", or the similarities and differences in their understanding of "communication" and demonstrating how those elements create tension within the field.^[3] Craig mapped these similarities and differences into seven suggested traditions of communication theory and showed how each of these traditions understand communication, as well as how each tradition's understanding creates tension with the other traditions.^[4]

The article has received multiple awards,^[5][6] has become the foundation for many communication theory textbooks,^{[7][8][9][10][11]} and has been translated into several different languages.^[12][13]

"Communication theory as a field" has created two main dialogues between Craig and other theorists. Myers argued that Craig misrepresented the theoretical assumptions of his theory, and that the theory itself does not distinguish between good and bad theories.^[14] Craig responded that Myers misunderstood not only the basic argument of the article, but also misrepresented his own case study.^[15] Russill proposed pragmatism as an eighth tradition of communication theory,^[16][17] Craig responded by expanding this idea and placing Russill's proposition in conversation with the other seven traditions.^[18]