Field-Specific Mediatization: Testing the Combination of Social Theory and Mediatization Theory Using the Example of Scientific Communication

• In Event: Understanding Media Practices

Abstract

Mediatization is regarded in contemporary media and communication science as an “emerging paradigm” (Livingstone and Lundby), but the term itself is diffuse and highly contingent. Couldry and Hepp even speak of “two traditions of mediatization research”. An attempt is made in this paper to integrate structural and individual concepts of mediatization theory by combining it with Bourdieu’s field theory using the example of science. After outlining the notion of mediatization underlying this text the special features of scientific communication and the scientific field are presented. Hypotheses mentioned in the literature on the influence of new media technologies on science are contrasted with the state of research. This reveals that the impact of media innovations cannot be seen in a monocausal manner. In field-specific mediatization, they interact with various structural and individual elements (field logic, social spaces, other social spheres, sub-fields, habitus of the individual agents) in a complex and dynamic system.

Author

• Corinna Lüthje, University of Rostock