Beyond the dichotomy of communication studies

Abstract

The trend of globalization has sharpened the debate on the culture-specific and culture-general approaches to communication studies. As the demand for culture-specific approaches in scholarly research is increasing due to the impact of globalization, the trend of universalizing representations based on a culture-general paradigm is also getting stronger. Unfortunately, the countermovement between scholars’ dichotomous positions continues to reflect the limitation and myopia of traditional views, which mirror a full embracing of the local practices on the one side and a blind acceptance of foreign elements on the other. Hence, how to balance the yin and yang of scholarly research will be the key to developing a sound state of knowledge-seeking and knowledge-making in the future. This article goes beyond this either–or thinking by taking the stance that the dissolution of the boundary should be pursued. The interpenetration and interfusion between the yin and yang of communication studies should also be sought, while the local identity is still sustained. The concept of miantze (face) and a survey research method are exemplified in this article to support the argument.

Keywords:

• dichotomized problem
• communication research
• globalization
• culture-specific vs. culture-general approaches
• paradigmatic assumptions
• boundary wisdom