began in the late 1950s. Thousands of books and articles later, colleges
and universities offer a variety of graduate and undergraduate
coursework in the area in such diverse departments as communica-
tion, mass communication, journalism, political science, and sociol-
ogy. ⁵ In Nimmo and Sanders's early assessment, the "key areas of
inquiry" included rhetorical analysis, propaganda analysis, attitude
change studies, voting studies, government and the news media,
functional and systems analyses, technological changes, media tech-
nologies, campaign techniques, and research techniques. ⁶ In a survey
of the state of the field in 1983, the same authors and Lynda Kaid
found additional, more specific areas of concerns such as the presi-
dency, political pools, public opinion, debates, and advertising. ⁷ Since
the first study, they have also noted a shift away from the rather
strict behavioral approach.

A decade later, Dan Nimmo and David Swanson argued that "politi-
cal communication has developed some identity as a more or less
distinct domain of scholarly work." ⁸ The scope and concerns of the area
have further expanded to include critical theories and cultural studies.
Although there is no precise definition, method, or disciplinary home
of the area of inquiry, its primary domain comprises the role, processes,
and effects of communication within the context of politics broadly
defined.

In 1985, the editors of Political Communication Yearbook: 1984 noted
that "more things are happening in the study, teaching, and practice of
political communication than can be captured within the space limita-
tions of the relatively few publications available." ⁹ In addition, they
argued that the backgrounds of "those involved in the field [are] so
varied and pluralist in outlook and approach, ... it [is] a mistake to
adhere slavishly to any set format in shaping the content." ¹⁰ More
recently, Swanson and Nimmo have called for "ways of overcoming the
unhappy consequences of fragmentation within a framework that re-
spects, encourages, and benefits from diverse scholarly commitments,
agendas, and approaches." ¹¹

In agreement with these assessments of the area and with gentle
encouragement, in 1988 Praeger established a series entitled "Praeger
Series in Political Communication." The series is open to all qualitative
and quantitative methodologies as well as contemporary and historical
studies. The key to characterizing the studies in the series is the focus
on communication variables or activities within a political context or
dimension. As of this writing, over seventy volumes have been pub-
lished and numerous impressive works are forthcoming. Scholars from
the disciplines of communication, history, journalism, political science,
and sociology have participated in the series.

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