This paper addresses five major trends in the political economy of communication, including: the globalization of the field, the expansion of an enduring emphasis on historical research, the growth of research from alternative standpoints, especially feminism and labour, the shift from an emphasis on old to new media, and the growth of activism connected to the political economy tradition. None of these are brand new tendencies but rather build on existing ones, which were often submerged beneath dominant trends in the field.
Keyword: Political Economy of Communication; Globalization; Feminism; Labour; History of Communication; Activism
Vincent Mosco Queen’s University, Canada