Online Communication

Online Communication provides an introduction to both the technologies of the Internet Age and their social implications. This innovative and timely textbook brings together current work in communication, political science, philosophy, popular culture, history, economics, and the humanities to present an examination of the theoretical and critical issues in the study of computer-mediated communication. Continuing the model of the best-selling first edition, authors Andrew F. Wood and Matthew J. Smith introduce computer-mediated communication (CMC) as a subject of academic research as well as a lens through which to examine contemporary trends in society. This second edition of Online Communication covers online identity, mediated relationships, virtual communities, electronic commerce, the digital divide, spaces of resistance, and other topics related to CMC. The text also examines how the Internet has affected contemporary culture and presents the critiques being made to those changes. Special features of the text include:*Hyperlinks--presenting greater detail on topics from the chapter*Ethical Ethical Inquiry--posing questions on the nature of human communication and conduct online*Online Communication and the Law--examining the legal ramifications of CMC issues Advanced undergraduates, graduate students, and researchers interested in the field of computer-mediated communication, as well as those studying issues of technology and culture, will find Online Communication to be an insightful resource for studying the role of technology and mediated communication in today's society.

Review of the First Edition:"...a must-read for any student or researcher interested in the area of computer-mediated communication. The work could-and should-serve as a required textbook for a variety of advanced undergraduate and graduate courses across the social sciences and the humanities. The book also could be used as a secondary text in virtually any course covering contemporary culture."—Journalism & Mass Communication QuarterlyReview of the First Edition:"...a useful primer for communication students who are experts in using the technology but have had little or no guidance in learning to think constructively about that use, particularly from a humanistic perspective. The concepts may be basic, but they offer solid ground on which to build."—Journalism & Mass Communication Educator"Wood and Smith's Online Communication: Linking Technology Identity, and Culture provides an excellent and relatively comprehensive overview of CMC. Its easy-to-read style and breadth of coverage make it an ideal textbook for a variety of undergraduate and graduate courses in technical communication of Internet studies. Its organization of information into concise, focused chapters containing highlighted points of interest also make the book an ideal reference source for researchers or practitioners in any field that uses CMC."—Technical Communication