思想·理论·趋势:对北美媒介生态学研究的一种历史考察

Thoughts,Theories and Trends:A Historical Review of Media Ecology Studies in North America

自从波兹曼在1970年首次提出"媒介作为环境的研究"的定义和范式之后,它就成了媒介生态学研究的重要理论命题和基础分析框架。从多伦多学派到纽约学派,再到其他支流学术种群,数十年的北美媒介生态学研究大致经历了由冷僻渐趋热门,由边缘走向主流,由北美传播到全球的过程,其研究领域由社会人文扩展到国家战略,研究成果从相对单一发展到丰富多元。正是基于对媒介生态学研究中复杂的、全球性的、内在的网络关系的深入理解,以历史为经,以理论为纬,可以将北美媒介生态学史上的重要思想和理论归纳整合成媒介时空论、媒介人体论、媒介场所论、媒介容器论、媒介情境论、媒介环境论、媒介进化论、媒介依赖论、媒介失控论、媒介控制论等"十论",并从中看出北美媒介生态学的发展轨迹和内在逻辑。在这一历史考察中,其未来趋势同时一露端倪:在世界范围内,学术研究与社会行动结合,文化批判向人文关怀靠拢。

The definition and paradigm of media ecology, ＂the study of media as environment＂, was first introduced by Neil Postman in 1970. It became an important theoretical issue and analytical framework in the media ecology studies. From the two mainstream groups： School of Toronto and School of New York, to the other scholars in North America, the historical development of this field basically followed some rules, from silence to success, from edge to centre, spreading from North America to the rest of the world, penetrating from social sciences to national strategies, achieving findings from simple aspects to complicated multi-levels. Based on a complete understanding of the complex, global, and inherent network of media ecology studies, this paper examines the key researchers and their theories and integrated them into ten theories. Media-Time-Space Theory, Media-Human-Body Theory, Media-Stage Theory,Media-Container Theory, Media-Situation Theory, Media-Environment Theory, Media-Evolution Theory, Media-Dependency Theory, Media-Losing-Control Theory, Media-Control Theory. The historical trajectory and internal logics of Media Ecology studies can be demonstrated in a time line; and the trend is somehow connected with worldwide social activities can also be shown simultaneously.