Communication: A Critical/Cultural Introduction, Second Edition introduces communication theory, interpersonal communication, and public communication and culture through the lens of contemporary critical theory. John T. Warren and Deanna L. Fassett focus on public advocacy as a more meaningful way to approach public speaking through coverage of topics and issues that readers are most passionate about. By situating communication concepts and theories within contemporary and engaging cultural scenes, the book is much more than a survey of ideas - it demonstrates the power of communication in our everyday lives.

This new edition enhances the book's focus on the connections between public advocacy and traditional public speaking, and the 2nd edition also includes two new chapters on listening and small group communication. New and updated examples have been added throughout the text, and new end-of-chapter questions and activities have been added to reinforce concepts and allow students to put their learning into practice. Key features include:

• Takes a critical/cultural approach: Students come to appreciate how communication occurs within the context of power and our different cultural locations


• Written in an engaging narrative style: The authors' own stories, and the narratives woven throughout each chapter, create a sense of relevance for the content


• Provides a focus on public advocacy: Connecting students' work to the process of being critical, active citizens, this feature shows how civic engagement can improve our communities


• Illustrated with contemporary examples: Theory and concepts are demonstrated through discussions of marriage equality, affirmative action, disability, and social media

Preface
Part I: First Principles
1. Communication: A Cultural Introduction
2. Communication and Power: A Cultural History
3. Public Advocacy: Commitments and Responsibility
Part II: Communication Processes and Skills
4. Compassionate Critical Listening
5. Groups and Alliances in Culture
6. Identity and Perception
7. Language and Culture
Part III: Communication Contexts
8. Embodied Knowledge and Non-Verbal Communication
9. Language and Power in Our Cultural Lives
10. Interpersonal Relationships in Culture
11. Mediated Culture(s)
12. Communication as a Means of Social Action
Glossary
Index
About the Authors

John T. Warren (Late) was professor of Speech Communication at Southern Illinois University, Carbondale. His major research and teaching centered in Communication Pedagogy, Performance Studies, and Communication and Critical/Cultural Studies. He was the author of numerous books including Performing Purity: Whiteness, Pedagogy and the Reconstitution of Power; Casting Gender: Women and Performance in Intercultural Contexts; Critical Communication Pedagogy; and the SAGE Handbook of Communication and Instruction. He also authored articles for several education and communication studies journals, including Educational Theory, Communication Education, and Text and Performance Quarterly.