Abstract
In a world riven with echo chambers and frayed by ideological noise, where public trust is being eroded beneath the weight of a digital deluge and demagogic discourse, social and political conflict is no longer a scholarly luxury; indeed, it is a survival imperative. Conflict today is not just fought on battlefields or in parliaments but through hashtags, headlines, and hegemonic narratives on social media platforms. Journalism and mass communication, both the mirrors and molds of these tensions, are at the heart of this storm. For that reason, a work like The Handbook of Social and Political Conflict does not merely enter a conversation; it helps to redefine its grammar. For scholars in journalism and mass communication, where media not only reflects but also constructs social tensions, this handbook emerges as both a timely and indispensable resource. Edited by Sergei A. Samoilenko—Assistant Professor in the Department of Communication at George Mason University—and Solon Simmons—full professor and director of The Narrative Transformation Lab at George Mason University—this book offers a sweeping, interdisciplinary exploration of conflict as a dynamic, multilayered phenomenon. The Handbook brings together 39 chapters by scholars from a broad array of disciplines, making it not simply a reference work but also a theoretical intervention offering a conceptual map with which to navigate the chaos of academic and real-world understandings of social and political discord.
The editorial framing the authors offer draws on sociology, philosophy, and communication to propose a transdisciplinary vision of conflict studies. As they note early on, the study of conflict is not tethered to any single tradition or methodology. Rather, it must be understood through overlapping and often contradictory lenses, what they term—after Andrew Abbott—the “chaos of disciplines.” This perspective resonates well with contemporary discourse on the inter- or even post-disciplinary nature of communication studies (Ang et al., 2019; Waisbord, 2019).
The editors have structured the volume in five major thematic sections: (a) Polarization, Moral Outrage, and Extremism; (b) Systems of Power and Rhetorics of Control; (c) Narrative, World-building, and Imagination; (d) Media, Misinformation, and Popular Culture; and (e) Resilience, Humanity, and Hope. In addition to academic variety, each section also provides conceptual depth. From neuroscience to rhetorical analysis, from narrative theory to digital misinformation, the contributions synthesize emerging and established concepts to chart new directions in the field.
Section 1 begins with a robust discussion of political polarization in which Samantha Vilkins and her co-authors trace the emotional, structural, and media-driven mechanisms that intensify group divides. One notable contribution comes from W. Timothy Coombs and Elina R. Tachkova, who introduce the concept of “scansis”—a portmanteau that fuses scandal and crisis—and explore its implications in corporate and public life (p. 47). Marlene Laruelle’s chapter on illiberalism offers a powerful conceptual tool with which to analyze authoritarian tendencies across global contexts, without reducing them to outdated Cold War binaries.
Section 2 stands out for its sharp focus on the mechanics of social control. Jennifer Keohane’s chapter on cancel culture rhetoric dissects the manner in which public discourse is weaponized to include and exclude, stigmatize, and sanctify. Equally compelling is Marta Lukacovic’s treatment of securitization, which demonstrates the way in which existential threats are manufactured by states and media to justify exceptional policies. The blend of theoretical sophistication and empirical relevance here is the hallmark of this volume.
Section 3, which explores narrative and imagination, is perhaps the most conceptually daring. Audrey Ann Williams’s chapter, “Songworld”, offers a poetic yet rigorous account of the way music becomes a form of resistance and identity-building in conflict zones. Francesca Giardini’s work on gossip provides a sociological perspective on how informal communication circulates power and reinforces group norms. These essays showcase the handbook’s commitment to stretching the boundaries of what counts as conflict communication.
In Section 4, the editors turn to the media environment. Henrik S. Sætra, Stuart Mills, and Evan Selinger tackle the rapidly evolving influence of artificial intelligence in mediating conflict, while Teresa E. Weikmann presents a framework for understanding visual misinformation in a post-truth era. This section will be particularly useful for media and communication scholars seeking up-to-date, theoretically grounded treatments of digital disinformation and its role in sociopolitical strife.
The final section, Resilience, Humanity, and Hope, serves as a compelling counterbalance to the earlier emphasis on conflict and breakdown. Michael D. English and Richard E. Rubenstein revisit Johan Galtung’s (1990) concept of positive peace and offer a refreshed analytical lens for today’s world. Doris E. Wesley and Jessica K. Jameson present communication-based approaches to community peacebuilding that bring to the fore local agency and cultural sensitivity. The concluding chapter, written by Simmons and Yoho, speculates on the future of war and state violence, asking whether we can imagine an end to organized armed conflict (p. 427).
One of the handbook’s most distinctive features is its refusal to impose a singular definition or theory of conflict. Instead, the editors embrace what they call “a chorus of concepts” (p. 3), where competing ideas coexist in a kind of productive dissonance. This pluralism is both a strength and a challenge. For readers seeking a definitive taxonomy or unified theory, this book may feel overwhelming. But for those willing to engage its complexity, the reward is a nuanced and intellectually invigorating experience.
However, the book is not without shortcomings because the intellectually dense transdisciplinary framework the volume presents could challenge readers unfamiliar with multiple field terminologies. Moreover, while the book includes diverse contributors from different geographic locations and institutions, it lacks sufficient representation of voices from several world regions, and the Global South in particular. The inclusion of more from indigenous knowledge systems—for example, those of Africa, Developing Asia, or the Middle East—would have added valuable depth and perspective (Demeter, 2020; Mutsvairo et al, 2021).
Even with these limitations, The Handbook of Social and Political Conflict stands out as a major accomplishment that dissolves academic barriers to create fresh discussions while presenting an academic model that combines deep relevance with thoughtful scholarship. The Handbook will serve as a guide to anyone who wants to study communication power and identity by creating essential discussions about these complex relationships, and it unites diverse voices in today’s noisy public sphere to encourage both listening and questioning while also challenging our understanding of conflict engagement.