Conceptual Analysis of Hermeneutic Media Theory

Abstract

The field of hermeneutics, guided by the works of philosophers such as Schleiermacher, Dilthey, Heidegger, Gadamer, and Ricoeur, has shaped the approach towards the interpretation of texts and communication. Unlike the more conventional approach to communication, hermeneutics understands communication as distinct from mere transmission and emphasizes the pivotal role of situated interpretation and culture. Its relevance to analyzing texts stems from the interplay and transition accompanying media, journalism, advertising, and digital communication, where meaning is constantly shaped and contested. This seminar incorporated contemporary writings, peer-reviewed articles, and philosophical works precisely to analyze the evolution of the hermeneutic approach to communication. Using desk study methodology and qualitative analysis, the research aimed to address the strengths and weaknesses, namely the instability of meaning across cultural and media contexts, of hermeneutic theory in contemporary communication research. The findings of the research posit that the theory of hermeneutics is invaluable in the field of mass communication because advanced qualitative research needs to be complemented with exploration of the processes by which meanings are constructed, mediated, and interpreted. It enhances qualitative research in the field of mass communication and provides frameworks for audience interpretation, ideological framing, and media ethics. Critiques of the study are its subjectivity, lack of generalizability, and predictive capacity relative to positivist models. The conclusions drawn from the study indicate that the use of mass communication in research will continue to require the use of hermeneutic theory. It recommends that incorporating hermeneutics with restricted balanced empirical approaches can endorsement to fostering deeper interpretative insight as well as methodological rigor in communication studies.