COMM 7010

Theories to Think With

Course Description

Course information provided by the 2025-2026 Catalog.

By offering generalizable principles and frameworks, theory allows us to grapple with a wide array of phenomena across varied contexts. As scholars progress in their intellectual journey, they begin by working to understand what contributions theory offers to a discipline. They must then grapple with the limitations and openings of theory as they look to conduct their own research. Finally, scholars begin producing their own theory. In this course, we will focus primarily on the second phase of this journey. We will read an assortment of different theoretical frameworks to grapple with how those theories can help us build our analytical toolkit. This course is designed for PhD students with prior exposure to advanced communication theory. Graduate students outside of Communication who have not taken COMM 6810 - but have taken similar social theory courses - can seek permission of the instructor.

Prerequisites COMM 6810, or graduate standing and permission of instructor.

Last 4 Terms Offered (None)

Learning Outcomes

• Reference multiple new theoretical toolkits.
• Articulate different ways in which theory is constructed, leveraged, and deployed.
• Apply a theory in analyzing your own data.
• Strategically deploy theory in an original research paper.

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