Amazon review (5 stars):
"I teach an undergraduate seminar on communication, technology, and society in a communication studies department at a large university. In preparing the course, I was looking for a textbook that met a few criteria: 1) centers sociology and sociological theory in the study of new media, 2) explains said theories in an easy-to-read manner, 3) uses a novel mix of historical and contemporary examples (so that the book retains its relevance for semesters to come), 4) is organized by major social institutions (like education, law, religion, and politics), and 5) would make sense not just to communication majors but non-majors as well. I had reviewed a number of other textbooks, but none came close to Dr. Rohlinger’s wonderfully written and organized book. It was easy to incorporate it into my lectures and it blended well when paired with shorter topical readings from newspapers, magazines, and online news publications. I highly recommend Dr. Rohlinger’s book for undergraduate courses on new media and society and even as a primer for graduate students looking for a wholistic view of the field."