Theory of Journalism and Mass Communications

Department of Theory of Journalism and Mass Communications

The Theory of Journalism Department was founded in 2005, and was based on the Sociology of Journalism Department. In 2012, in connection with forming the Institute ‘The Higher School of Journalism and Mass Communications’, it was transformed into the Department of Theory of Journalism & Mass Communications. The tradition of sociological studying of mass media at the Faculty of Journalism of St Petersburg State University has lasted for several decades. In the beginning of the 1960s seminars of enthusiasts of the at that time innovative approach to mass media were being held. There were also mass media lectures in the curriculum. Gradually in the Soviet Press Department a group of experts was generated, whose interests and research experience lay in the field of social analysis of journalism. They became the staff of the Sociology of Journalism Department, which was organized in 1991.

The Department covered completely the spectrum of professional, theoretical and social research qualifications of the media employee, as well as social relations and intercourse of the mass media. It was the first time that this had been done at the University; and therefore a lot that was carried out was titled ‘the first’: the first training courses on sociology of journalism, psychology of journalism, political science of journalism, the media law, and ethnic-cultural understanding of journalism; the first experience of specialization on political journalism for students; the first in the School Doctors of Political Science; and the first laboratory of mass media functioning in which students carried out their research projects.

The Department is responsible for the master programmes ‘Sociology of journalism’, ‘Political journalism’, and ‘Psychology of journalism’. From its very beginning the Department was eager to provide its own fundamental activity, in particular to issue a complete set of the educational literature. The collective of teachers published a number of books, which later became official textbooks and manuals of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation (see the list below).

Collective and individual works of teachers cover the broad range of pressing questions of the theory of modern journalism and mass communications: Journalism Axiology. Ed by V. A. Sidorov. St. Petersburg, 2009; Blokhin, I. N. Journalism in the Field of National Relations: Political Functioning and Professional Participation. St. Petersburg, 2008; Volkovsky, N. L. History of Information Wars. St. Petersburg, 2003; Journalism in the Field of Politics. The Research Approach and Participatory Practice. Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. St. Petersburg, 2004; Korkonosenko, S. G. Teaching Journalism: Professional and Popular Media Education: A Textbook. St. Petersburg, 2004; Korkonosenko, S. G. Legal Status of Mass Communication: A Textbook. St. Petersburg, 2009; Freedom of Personality in the Mass Communication. Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. St. Petersburg, 2010; Net Media of the Russian Megacity. Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. St. Petersburg, 2011; Sidorov, V. A. Political Culture of the Journalist. St. Petersburg, 2010; Sidorov, V. A. 10 Conversations on Sociology of Journalism. St. Petersburg, 2010; Modern Russian Mediapolis. Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. St. Petersburg, 2012, etc.

The Department became the All-Russia intellectual and methodical center for cooperation with experts in corresponding fields. A lot of its works are published as collective inter-university editions. With this purpose from the beginning of the 1990s the yearly research seminar ‘Journalism and sociology’ was held. For the last few years the annual seminar ‘Journalism of XXI century’ has been organized within the international forum ‘Days of Philosophy in Petersburg’. Partner contacts of the Department come from outside the Russian university community; it cooperates with experts from Poland, Romania, Sweden, Finland, USA, Slovakia, and Ukraine.

From the time that the Department was organized until now Sergey G. Korkonosenko has been the Chair. The teaching staff has a high level of qualifications. It includes: Professors Igor N. Blokhin, Nlikolay L. Volkovsky, Victor A. Sidorov, Svetlana I. Smetanina; Doctor of Science Marina A. Voskresenskaya; Docents, Candidates of Science Anastasia N. Grishanina, Nikolay N. Kolodiev, Ludmila P. Maryina, Zalina F. Khubetsova; and other researchers and professionals as part-time members.

Official manuals and textbooks of the Ministry of Education and Science of the Russian Federation

Basics of Creative Activities of a Journalist: A Textbook for Universities. Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. St. Petersburg, 2000;

Korkonosenko, S. G. Basics of Journalism: A Textbook for Universities. Moscow, 2001, 2009;

Sociology of Journalism. A Textbook for University Students . Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. Moscow, 2004;

Korkonosenko, S. G. Theory of Journalism: Modeling and Applying: A Textbook. Moscow, 2010;

Korkonosenko, S. G. Introduction to Journalism: A Textbook. Moscow, 2011;

Basics of Journalistic Activities: A Textbook for Universities. Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. Moscow, 2013;

Sociology of Journalism. A Textbook for University Students . Ed. by S. G. Korkonosenko. Moscow, 2013.