Critical Cultural research emphasizes critical inquiry into the broadly defined ways that cultural discourses, practices, and performances contribute to, resist, and transform relations of power in society, particularly as related to communication-based problems of class, race, gender, ethnicity, sexuality, national identity, (dis)ability, environment, and globalization. We focus on fostering a more equitable and democratic public sphere as a way to promote social justice. Our critical cultural faculty conduct their inquiry into a variety of forms communication, including rhetorical, mediated, and interpersonal. Some of our recent projects include analysis of the political economy of the dark web, Korean war memory, performance of childbearing identities in families, mediated portrayals of African American and Asian Americans, political and cultural underpinnings of obesity, tactics of activism in the U.S. and China, postcolonial memory, and environmental justice.
Unit 2: [Knowing things through] Academic (and Communication) Research
7 *Other ways of knowing…. Research
Ok, big step to the meta here but we’re going to briefly go over the broad concept of research to situate what this course, social scientific, is all about. If you’ve already taken 1306: Humanistic, or perhaps another course in this department from a rhetoric or media studies professor, you’re probably starting to notice that the social scientists approach things a lot differently. That matters because the way you approach research matters…but we’ll get more into that later. For now… Take it away student authors!
Learning Objectives
Other ways of knowing…. Research
Research is the activity of conducting intellectual investigations into the observable world. It is driven by the desire to improve the human condition and is derived from observations, questions, or phenomena.
Research is often categorized into three major approaches:
- Social Science Research
- Humanities Research
- Critical/Cultural Research
noun
One of the main branches of learning. A scholar of the humanities studies history, literature, the fine arts, and philosophy.
On a scale of 1-10, how very Unhelpful is this definition? I think 10 – Very Unhelpful
Humanities at the University of Iowa
What about this description from the University of Iowa, any better?
The humanities are academic disciplines focused on modes of thought and expression through art, history, literature, religion, ethics, philosophy, and languages. The study and application of humanities disciplines allows critical reflection and understanding of diverse heritage and traditions in relation to individual and communal experiences. Humanistic disciplines emphasize critical thinking and writing, tools that are essential for almost every career path.
Critical Cultural Studies
Communication research is a type of scientific research. They both propose a question and test it through observation. Scientific research is a broad term that covers many different research areas (e.g., communication, psychology, anthropology), where the focus is on different aspects of society. Communication researchers study a communication process. We’re interested in how people exchange information, how they use messages to create “meaning”, and what happens when meaning isn’t shared. We’re interested in information processes. We study information (even everyday ways of knowing!) creation, use, exchange, and breakdown in different contexts (e.g., family, organizational), across different channels (e.g., social media, face-to-face), in and through the media (e.g., representations of BIPOC, older adults, or health issues), and within and across different cultures.
In this class you will learn about social scientific research methods.
COMM:1305 Understanding Communication: Social Scientific Approaches 3 s.h.
Social scientific methods used to generate knowledge about communication processes; basic tools necessary to conduct and evaluate communication research; epistemological perspectives, research procedures, and data analysis; readings and hands-on activities.
COMM:1306 Understanding Communication: Humanistic Approaches 3 s.h.
Humanistic methods and theories used to generate knowledge about communication processes; basic tools necessary to conduct and evaluate communication research in humanities subdisciplines; epistemological perspectives, research procedures, and critical practices; readings and hands-on activities.
II. Unit 2: [Knowing things through] Academic (and Communication) Research
6. Problems with Scientific Ways of Knowing
7. Other ways of knowing…. Research
8. What is Communication Research?
the activity of conducting intellectual investigations into the observable world.