Harold Innis

by Paul Heyer

Overview

His name may not be as well known as that of his colleague and spiritual descendent, Marshall McLuhan, but Harold Innis's (1894-1952) influence on contemporary critical media and communication studies has been no less profound. This concise look at Innis's life and contributions to the communication field charts his beginnings in political economy to his later work in critical media studies and communications history, synthesizing his key publications and clearly showing their ongoing resonance for the field today. The book also includes an appendix by William J. Buxton on the 'History of Communications' manuscript and one by J. David Black on the contributions of Mary Quayle Innis.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9780742524842
Publisher:	Rowman & Littlefield Publishers, Inc.
Publication date:	09/24/2003
Series:	Critical Media Studies: Institutions, Politics, and Culture
Pages:	152
Product dimensions:	5.92(w) x 9.02(h) x 0.47(d)

About the Author

Paul Heyer is professor of communication studies at Wilfrid Laurier University.

Table of Contents

Chapter 1 The Road to Political Economy Chapter 2 From Fur to Fish Chapter 3 Political Economy Inspires Communication Studies Chapter 4 The "History of Communications" Project Chapter 5 Time, Space, and the Oral Tradition Chapter 6 Monopolies of Knowledge and the Critique of Culture Chapter 7 An Enduring Legacy Chapter 8 Epilogue Chapter 9 Appendix A: Harold A. Innis's "History of Communications" Manuscript Chapter 10 Appendix B: The Contributions of Mary Quayle Innis Chapter 11 A Select Bibliography

Editorial Reviews

Paul Heyer has written an excellent introduction to [Innis's] books. His overviews of Innis's writings are clear, concise, and instructive. They should pique the interest of budding scholars and perhaps even sharpen the perceptions and understandings of veteran students of communications. The strength of Heyer's commentary is that it places Innis's contribution to communications theory in context. With Heyer as a guide, a student interested in Innis's profound contribution to our understanding of the pervasive influence of communications upon human cultures should be able to navigate through the rocks and shoals of his turgid prose.

Technology and Culture

With Harold Innis, Paul Heyer provides us with the first comprehensive intellectual biography of this seminal figure in media studies. This is a deeply researched and gracefully written book that traces Innis's extraordinary evolution as a thinker, from his groundbreaking works in political economy through his later pioneering efforts at understanding the social and cultural impact of new communications media throughout history. Heyer demonstrates the enormous influence that Innis has had over the last half century of media studies, and this book persuasively shows how Innis's legacy continues to inform and inspire contemporary historians, critics, and theorists.

Daniel J. Czitrom