WILSON, Katherine
03/09/2007
International Comm.
Prof. Ibahrine
Chapter One Outline:
Following the Historical Paths of Global Communication
Geographical Space: A Barrier to Communication
Communication is not a new concept- although today’s technology allows us to communicate regardless of distance.
i. The concept of communication was introduced in 1979 by historians who studied the Middle Ages.
Many uses of communication were used to advance warfare and trade.
i. Ex. Chinese papermaking-> Arab soldiers->German Bible
ii. Printing press and telegraph
Geography and the Mythical World
Every culture had different perceptions of the world outside their homes
Greek word “mantic”- ideas coming from the supernatural world
i. Greek myths such as Cyclops began to appear in maps
ii. Europeans believed India and Africa to be fanciful and frightening
iii. Prester John- fictitious Christian king, who ruled magical land…Pope Alexander II even wrote him a letter!
iv. Attila the Hun encouraged mythical beliefs (to scare his enemies)
Art, science, language, and ritual help us to see how mythical ideas
were represented among different cultures.
Ancient Encounters of Societies and Cultures
The 12th century brought ideas of more rational, tangible knowledge, thanks to Plato and Aristotle.
Explorers brought knowledge of what lies beyond:
i. Pytheas (Greek explorer) traveled to Spain and Baltic
ii. Alexander the Great- Asai Minor, Africa, Eastern Europe
Library in Alexandria (300 BC) held over ½ million papyrus rolls,
Largest library in antiquity
Global Explorers: Migrants, Holy People, Merchants
Migration as a way of life…
i. Nomadic lifestyle: changes in food supplies farming techniques, disease, war.
Trade ships
i. Al-Idrisi: “Amusement for Him Who Desires to Travel Round the World”
European Interest in the East
i. Geographia- (Claudius Ptolemy)…used a reference by mapmakers- helped Columbus in his search for trade route to India.
Famous Travelers
i. Jacob ibn Tarik: astronomical books, 820.
ii. Radanite Jewish merchants traveled to Kiev
iii. Ibn Khorrdadbeh (arab geographer), traced trade routes through Europe- described Russian-Scandinavians.
iv. Vikings settled tribes in Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.
Mapmakers in the Medieval World
Maps were considered “keys to unlocking unknown worlds”
i. Columbus’ maps were locked up in Seville
Stirred empire building- however, much information on these maps were incorrect.
Served to aid sea navigation, pilgrimages, and military conquests.
i. However, other purposes:
1. Asian maps were drawn as art
2. Tibetan maps- spiritual path
3. Greeks- intellectual tools
Maps also served to divide the world by beliefs: Islam, Christianity, and Christian Byzantine Empire.
i. Only three continents- (badly drawn) Europe, Africa, Asia
The Crusades
i. Brought a new awareness of geography
1. Europeans became more familiar with languages and cultures
2. contributed a MAJOR chapter to INTL COMM
In Islam:
i. 1400 years of pilgrimages to Mecca
ii. Muslims were responsible for acquiring many ideas and devices: “the tongue of the Arab”
iii. First to recognize earth as sphere!
Inventors: Signals and Semaphores
The progression of technologies is most easily categorized into alphabetical and mathematical, or optical and audio media.
i. Signal systems for military use-
1. Artisotle informed the Persian king of goings-ons
2. Aeschylus described in book Agamemnon about conquest of Troy
3. Mostly for military purposes- Homer in the Illiad
ii. Visual signaling system:
1. Tiberius send messages from Capri on polished metal
2. Moors used a heliograph in Algeria
3. Herodotus (greek historian) described pony-express relay system, about 111 courier relay stations…Battle of Marathon.
iii. Postal Services
1. Charlemagne set up system through France, Italy, Germany and Spain
2. Lousi XI: set up mounted couriers for OFFICAL communiqués.
a. By the 1900s, delivery services offered quick service over great distances
3. Genghis Khan used pigeons, as did some Egyptian pharaohs.
4. Mesopotamian kings gave homing pigeons to carry on dangerous trips
5. In South America, Incas used smoke signals.
Noises (drums, shouting, trumpets) and physical sounds were also key for communication.
i. Giambattista della Porta described in 1553 a device which messages were shouted through tubes to project.
ii. The magnetic compass eventually lead to development of electric telegraph
iii. Joseph Chudy developed a system of flashing lights to be read by telescope in 1786.
The Printing Press, Literacy, and the Knowledge Explosion
Religious clerics were often the only literate people in the Middle Ages.
i. Epistles- used for diplomacy or commerce
Gutenberg’s printing press in Mainz, Germany 1450:
i. Many social consequences---
1. literacy among commoners
2. reformation inside the church
3. lead to rise in political consciousness and “public opinion”
Scientists and International Networks
a. Previously isolated countries now could intermingle interests and differences through new technology.
i. Telegraph
1. 1844, breakthrough in two-way communication- eventually lead to telephone and wireless radio
Views of international communication
i. At first, seen as only strategic and pragmatic….eventually organizations such as Central Commission for Navigation of the Rhine.
First Standardization of science codes in 1860:
i. Karlsruhe, Germany: assembled to clarify chemical symbols.
ii. This lead to other congresses to discuss all manners of science (botany, pharmacy, etc).
Adopting a global time system was important step in globalization.
i. Greenwich Observatory
ii. Universal adoption of metric system.
The International Electric Revolution
19th century launched industry and commerce:
i. steam boats- Savannahs
ii. telegraph became linked to the railway systems
American Telegraph Company
1. Samuel FB Morse: first line opened in 1866.
Alexander Graham Bell and the Telephone
i. Privately operated Bell Telephone Companyà Western Union Telegraph Company
ii. Thomas Edison
Summary: Global Immediacy and Transparency
Distanced communication directly affects human relationships.
Social and political systems can vary greatly in communication themes- through war, culture, espionage (?).
Global communication implies new connation to our (potential) histories.
03/09/2007
International Comm.
Prof. Ibahrine
Chapter One Outline:
Following the Historical Paths of Global Communication
Geographical Space: A Barrier to Communication
Communication is not a new concept- although today’s technology allows us to communicate regardless of distance.
i. The concept of communication was introduced in 1979 by historians who studied the Middle Ages.
Many uses of communication were used to advance warfare and trade.
i. Ex. Chinese papermaking-> Arab soldiers->German Bible
ii. Printing press and telegraph
Geography and the Mythical World
Every culture had different perceptions of the world outside their homes
Greek word “mantic”- ideas coming from the supernatural world
i. Greek myths such as Cyclops began to appear in maps
ii. Europeans believed India and Africa to be fanciful and frightening
iii. Prester John- fictitious Christian king, who ruled magical land…Pope Alexander II even wrote him a letter!
iv. Attila the Hun encouraged mythical beliefs (to scare his enemies)
Art, science, language, and ritual help us to see how mythical ideas
were represented among different cultures.
Ancient Encounters of Societies and Cultures
The 12th century brought ideas of more rational, tangible knowledge, thanks to Plato and Aristotle.
Explorers brought knowledge of what lies beyond:
i. Pytheas (Greek explorer) traveled to Spain and Baltic
ii. Alexander the Great- Asai Minor, Africa, Eastern Europe
Library in Alexandria (300 BC) held over ½ million papyrus rolls,
Largest library in antiquity
Global Explorers: Migrants, Holy People, Merchants
Migration as a way of life…
i. Nomadic lifestyle: changes in food supplies farming techniques, disease, war.
Trade ships
i. Al-Idrisi: “Amusement for Him Who Desires to Travel Round the World”
European Interest in the East
i. Geographia- (Claudius Ptolemy)…used a reference by mapmakers- helped Columbus in his search for trade route to India.
Famous Travelers
i. Jacob ibn Tarik: astronomical books, 820.
ii. Radanite Jewish merchants traveled to Kiev
iii. Ibn Khorrdadbeh (arab geographer), traced trade routes through Europe- described Russian-Scandinavians.
iv. Vikings settled tribes in Iceland, Greenland, and Newfoundland.
Mapmakers in the Medieval World
Maps were considered “keys to unlocking unknown worlds”
i. Columbus’ maps were locked up in Seville
Stirred empire building- however, much information on these maps were incorrect.
Served to aid sea navigation, pilgrimages, and military conquests.
i. However, other purposes:
1. Asian maps were drawn as art
2. Tibetan maps- spiritual path
3. Greeks- intellectual tools
Maps also served to divide the world by beliefs: Islam, Christianity, and Christian Byzantine Empire.
i. Only three continents- (badly drawn) Europe, Africa, Asia
The Crusades
i. Brought a new awareness of geography
1. Europeans became more familiar with languages and cultures
2. contributed a MAJOR chapter to INTL COMM
In Islam:
i. 1400 years of pilgrimages to Mecca
ii. Muslims were responsible for acquiring many ideas and devices: “the tongue of the Arab”
iii. First to recognize earth as sphere!
Inventors: Signals and Semaphores
The progression of technologies is most easily categorized into alphabetical and mathematical, or optical and audio media.
i. Signal systems for military use-
1. Artisotle informed the Persian king of goings-ons
2. Aeschylus described in book Agamemnon about conquest of Troy
3. Mostly for military purposes- Homer in the Illiad
ii. Visual signaling system:
1. Tiberius send messages from Capri on polished metal
2. Moors used a heliograph in Algeria
3. Herodotus (greek historian) described pony-express relay system, about 111 courier relay stations…Battle of Marathon.
iii. Postal Services
1. Charlemagne set up system through France, Italy, Germany and Spain
2. Lousi XI: set up mounted couriers for OFFICAL communiqués.
a. By the 1900s, delivery services offered quick service over great distances
3. Genghis Khan used pigeons, as did some Egyptian pharaohs.
4. Mesopotamian kings gave homing pigeons to carry on dangerous trips
5. In South America, Incas used smoke signals.
Noises (drums, shouting, trumpets) and physical sounds were also key for communication.
i. Giambattista della Porta described in 1553 a device which messages were shouted through tubes to project.
ii. The magnetic compass eventually lead to development of electric telegraph
iii. Joseph Chudy developed a system of flashing lights to be read by telescope in 1786.
The Printing Press, Literacy, and the Knowledge Explosion
Religious clerics were often the only literate people in the Middle Ages.
i. Epistles- used for diplomacy or commerce
Gutenberg’s printing press in Mainz, Germany 1450:
i. Many social consequences---
1. literacy among commoners
2. reformation inside the church
3. lead to rise in political consciousness and “public opinion”
Scientists and International Networks
a. Previously isolated countries now could intermingle interests and differences through new technology.
i. Telegraph
1. 1844, breakthrough in two-way communication- eventually lead to telephone and wireless radio
Views of international communication
i. At first, seen as only strategic and pragmatic….eventually organizations such as Central Commission for Navigation of the Rhine.
First Standardization of science codes in 1860:
i. Karlsruhe, Germany: assembled to clarify chemical symbols.
ii. This lead to other congresses to discuss all manners of science (botany, pharmacy, etc).
Adopting a global time system was important step in globalization.
i. Greenwich Observatory
ii. Universal adoption of metric system.
The International Electric Revolution
19th century launched industry and commerce:
i. steam boats- Savannahs
ii. telegraph became linked to the railway systems
American Telegraph Company
1. Samuel FB Morse: first line opened in 1866.
Alexander Graham Bell and the Telephone
i. Privately operated Bell Telephone Companyà Western Union Telegraph Company
ii. Thomas Edison
Summary: Global Immediacy and Transparency
Distanced communication directly affects human relationships.
Social and political systems can vary greatly in communication themes- through war, culture, espionage (?).
Global communication implies new connation to our (potential) histories.
**Yahra R. Kamalipour. (2007). Global Communication, (2nd Edition)
1 comment:
Dear student,
This is a good start. I appreciated your work.
Post a Comment