| Manuel Castells is a world-renowned metropolis sociologist,information sociologist,and communication scientist who has obtained fruitful achievements in sociology filed and turned into communication science studies.The publication of “The Information Age trilogy” has brought great international reputation for him.His researches on IT and social change relation is a front-edge topic in communication field.Establishing famous network society theory,he has pointed out that information technology caused the change of social structure and formed a new social form---network society.Also he has proposed “Information Capitalism”,“Flowing Space”,“culture of real virtuality” and other unique and innovative theory concepts which have provided good analysis methods and concept tools for us to understand social transition process.Castells’ works have revealed the interior logic of social change caused by internet and mobile communication technology,which is of great guiding significance for us to understand communication-society interactive relation and actual informatized life.This article tries to use literature analysis and theoretical researches to explore Castells’ media thinking from three aspects,technology,culture and power,and combine with nowadays specific new media environment to discuss the inspiring significance of Castells’ media thinking on communication theoretical researches and realistic life.There exist quality and quantity differences in the spreading and application of media technology in the society,which are closely related to age,gender,ethic,social status and user’s other social attributes.When the difference magnifies,digital gap forms.Then the article further explores the influence of technological development on society by referring to Mcluhan’s thinking that media is message and media is the extension of human body.On the basis of technology’s promotion and influence on social development,the article further explores Castells’ s media technology concept.Through comparing Innes,Mcluhan,Paul,and Levinson,the article has found that Castells has inherited and innovated the school of media environment.He does not believe in Prerequisite of Technology and holds a neutral attitude to technology.New culture has formed in network society,i.e.culture of real virtuality and mobile youth culture.Castells has found that the promotion of “identity” for communication behavior is an important power of new culture formation which has explained many culture phenomena in nowadays world.Information technology,flowing space,and infinite time jointly constitute the material foundation of new culture.When introducing Castells’ media power concept,the article has mainly explained his power ideology from three aspects,the definition,source and operating mode of power,and then the article has combined with specific communication situation to analyze the referential significance of his media power concept for realistic life.It is exactly the interrelation and mutual promotion of these three aspects that promote and establish current new social formation.At last,the article places Castells’ media ideology in the long history of overall communication science for positioning to highlight its profound humanistic care,broad and diversified perspective,inclusive and well-established theoretical characteristics and other values,in the hope of bringing double enlightenments for communication theoretical research and realistic life. |
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