Revolutions in Communication is a textbook about media history, but like any publication in the twenty-first century, it is also a broad ongoing focal point for its topic area. The printed copy is only the beginning for the community of scholars it is meant to serve.
Revolutions in Communication is a global media history seen mostly through the lens of technological change. The underlying historical theory is akin to the ideas of Harold Innis and Marshall McLuhan, and the long-term vision is one of international cooperation and education through global media systems.
Revolutions in Communication is intended for students and young professionals working in all media forms, but it is also useful for students of general history and everyone interested in the origins of the emerging global communications system.
Study of history is strongly recommended by accrediting organizations such as the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communications and the International Communications Association (ACEJMC and ICA).
Information about desk / exam copies and class adoptions is available from Bloomsbury publishers.
Support for your teaching
History instructors who adopt Revolutions in Communication will find useful support for classroom teaching:
- Powerpoint lecture slide sets for each chapter, available as .pptx files by request, or as pdfs on this site.
- Quiz banks for instructors (available to instructors only, by request);
- Hands-on history classroom activity suggestions: writing with quills, sending morse code and playing the Nellie Bly game.
- Chapter by chapter resources with discussion questions, podcasts and videos;
- Suggestions for student research projects such as:
- Envisioning public history projects such as communication museums;
- Organizing and expanding international media history;
- Issue oriented research in newspaper archives;
- Mapping cross country travelogues like those noted here;
- Writing old time radio scripts using sound effects (foley) techniques.
- Author contact:
- The author welcomes suggestions and contacts from colleagues teaching and researching media history.
- The author will (time permitting) be happy to drop into your classroom via Zoom for a discussion of media history issues.
- The author is available for remote teaching assignments.
- Write to bill dot kovarik at gmail,or Linked-In, or other social media.