The institutionalized civil communication can be described with the following elements:
1. National Constitutions and their statements regarding communication 2. National Laws and their statements regarding communication
3. Religious Laws of religions regarding communication
4. International Declarations and Agreements regarding communication 5. National and International Communication Organisations and Associations
(Regional Communications Organisations and Associations, International Communication Organisations and Associations) 6. Communication Organisations for specific purposes
This is a 21st century political framework conjunct with the idea of communication and globalization. It promotes the self-reference of communication and the separation of cultural heritage of other decision making authorities. For the project Linguistic Diversity and Literacy in a Global Perspective. A Comparative Look at Practice in Europe and Africa 2004-2006 was written by UNESCO that in the 19th century the national states brought ‘cultural and linguistic homogeneity’ to Europe: “The linguistic reality in Europe today is complex, with a range of situations requiring different policy responses. Plurality and linguistic diversity was the hallmark of life in Europe until the rise of the nation state in the nineteenth century, when considerable importance was attached to cultural and linguistic homogeneity.”535 The development of Europe depends on common media and communication and their common use and laws. Media operate in Europe in the individual states and between regions in states and also between countries of the EU under EU-law and national law.536 Looking at the communication tools in 21st century in Europe we see the linguistic disposition of the European languages and the cultural concepts they imply as common basis are relatively homogeneous. The Indo-European family of languages has economical and social values in terms of its worldwide spread and applications. For the technological developments and their terminology mainly European auxiliary languages are used. The European language English is the dominant world language in the 20th century. Influential are also French, Spanish, and Portuguese as languages of colonialism in parts of the world in Africa, Asia, and South America. Due to colonialism for example the French language is spoken by 70 million people in the world in France, Canada (French Quebec), the U.S., Switzerland, Belgium, Luxembourg, many parts of Africa. Besides Portugal and Brazil, Portuguese is also spoken in the former African Portuguese colonies.537
Intercultural or cross-cultural communication looks at communication among people of different cultures. The Psychology Lexicon defines communication as follows:
535 Science and Culture UNESCO – Europarat: Projekt "Linguistic Diversity and Literacy in a global perspective. A comparative look at practice in Europe and Africa 2004-2006“ (www.ecml.at) in Zusammenarbeit mit dem BMBWK und der Österreichischen UNESCO-Kommission. Bundesministerium für Bildung, Wissenschaft und Kultur. Austrian Federal Ministry of Education. [1.7.2007].
<Http://www.bmukk.gv.at/medienpool/12418/aen41.pdf.>
536 See also: Nordenstreng, Kaarle. “Recent Developments in European Communications Theory.” In: Journal of Communication Inquiry. Vol. 2. 2 (1977). Pp. 41-49
537 Cf.: Ethnologue Language Family Index. In: Gordon, Raymond G., Jr. (ed.). Ethnologue: Languages of the World. Fifteenth Edition. Dallas, Texas: SIL International. Online Version. [6.6.2007].
<Http://www.ethnologue.com>
Communication refers to the process of transmitting information from one person or place to another. It is the exchange or transmission of thoughts or information via speech, gestures, signs, writing, drawing, body language, and behavior.
The Psychology Lexicon defines cross-cultural communication as follows:
Cross-cultural Communication refers to communication between people of two different ethnic backgrounds. Likewise, cross-cultural communication refers to the transmission of information from a person in one country or culture to a person from another country or culture.538
The differences in codified communicative style of different groups make it possible to communicate in a way appealing clearly, when addressed to a common social group, but can result in communication-breakdowns, when stepping out of this social context. To say in other words: Specific types of communication can be limited to a local area with a common socialisation. Recently European research came to results regarding poverty in the world and communication. In 2006 the World Congress on Communication for Development in Rome in Italy (October 25-27, 2006) made the final statement that communication is ‘essential to human, social, and economic development’. According to this final statement the core feature of communication for development is participation and ownership by communities and individuals most affected by poverty and other development issues. A large and growing body of evidence demonstrates the value of communication for development. The participants in the World Congress on Communication for Development concluded in their recommendations in 2006 that for the year 2006 estimated 1.3 billion people world-wide still live in absolute poverty. Even though many countries have experienced considerable economic development and communication facilities, far too many remain worse off in economic and communicative terms.
Ensuring that people have access to communication tools so that they can themselves communicate within their communities and with the people making the decisions that affect them– for example community radio and other community media.539
Since the 20th century various ways exist in order to transmit messages. These ways include as basics written language, spoken language, graphic symbols, and representative images. The main media of transmission include books, films, TV, and computers. ‘Mass communication’
encompasses messages that are broadcasted electronically to mass audiences. A technical field of communication is ‘computer-mediated communication’. According to John December Computer-Mediated Communication (CMC) is
the process by which people create, exchange, and perceive information using networked telecommunications systems (or
538 Entry ‘Cross-cultural Communication’. The Psychology Lexicon. [2.2.2007].
<Http://www.psychology-lexicon.com/lexikon/communication.htm>
539 The World Congress on Communication for Development Rome, Italy – October 25-27, 2006. The Rome Consensus Communication for Development A Major Pillar for Development and Change. The Participants Word Congress on Communication for Development Rome. Italy October 27, 2006. Devcomm. [2.2.2007].
<Http://www.devcomm.org/worldbank/vpr/pdf/Main_box/Recommendations.pdf>
networked computers) that facilitate encoding, transmitting, and decoding messages.540
Since the 20th century mass media critical studies in Europe were made by scholars interested in the sociology of everyday life. Rhetorical theory enhanced the conceptual development of philosophical systems regarding operative methods of communication action. Technical media development in contemporary time is important for communication.541
Acoustic way Hearing Visual way Text, pictures Manual way Writing
Basics of Multiple Media Access
The use of multiple media serving in the 21st century as an access to broad communication processes is one feature of 21st century communication. Another feature is the combination of these media as representations in a major medium, e.g. a book presented on a website on the internet.
Informal Communication No use of media
E. g. Verbal communication
Visual Communication Non-verbal sign communication
Formal Communication Using media Natural Human Media
Voice, ear, hand, eye Artificial Media
´Print Media´
Acustic Media Visual Media
Multi-Media Complexes 21st Century Media Communication Fields
An overview of the fields of rhetoric and communication in the 21st century shows us the branches they are used in:
I Rhetoric
Ancient Forms of Rhetoric:
Sophistic rhetoric Technical rhetoric
II Communication Contemporary
Communication and Rhetorical Subdisciplines:
540 December, John. What is Computer-Mediated Communication? [2.2.2007].
<Http://www.december.com/john/study/cmc/what.html>
541 Cf. December, John. Characteristics of Oral Culture in Discourse on the Net. Paper Presented at the Twelfth Annual Penn State Conference on Rhetoric and Composition. University, Park, Pennsylvania, July 8, 1993.
[2.2.2007].
<Http://www.rpi.edu/Internet/Guides/ decemj/papers/orality-literacy.txt>
Classic systematic rhetoric
Telecommunication
Rhetoric, Composition, and Professional Communication
Communication management