Comprehending social change in an era of austerity: Reflections from a communication perspective

Abstract

This essay builds on, and furthers, some of the central discussions about the conceptual, theoretical and methodological challenges that have bedeviled the scholarly field concerned with the relationship between communication and changes in a society. Specifically, it is argued that the impacts of the current economic crisis and the resulting politics of austerity in Western Europe and the United States constitute significant ‘shocks’ that should shape future research about the role of communication in social change processes. In this regard, the essay ends by presenting four key issues which arguably constitute the major ‘austerity lessons’ that scholars interested in the relationship between communication and social change need to pay attention to.