What can the history of communication studies tell us about its practical relevance in the future? The four “currencies” of academic success...
What can the history of communication studies tell us about its practical relevance in the future? The four “currencies” of academic success...

Summary/Abstract: In German-language communication studies, the long-running debate about the increasingly important practical relevance of the subject is currently being picked up once again. In this article a refl ection on the history of the subject since 1945 will be used to formulate a prediction for the possible development of the subject and the practice-related research being undertaken within it. Four basic “currencies” of academic success will be drawn upon to do this: reputation, public attention, funding, and evaluation results. Th ese assist in constructing an alternative chronology of the subject, which also demonstrates the social forces which aff ect the “currencies.” Th is leads to the conclusion that the current incentive structures for each individual scientist in communication studies could lead to a bisection of the subject. One group will orientate itself increasingly on the requirements of modern science-based society and predominantly solve practical problems, while the second group will remain more dedicated to the classic understanding of science.

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