The theory of interpretive communities attempts to explicate the social processes involved in interpreting cultural texts. In the communication discipline, it has been applied most often in media studies, particularly the semiotic domain of audience experience. According to the theory, the meanings ascribed to cultural texts are neither wholly subjective nor a property of material objects; rather, such texts as television programs, romance novels, and Web content become meaningful only through the interpretive strategies practiced by the memberships of communities. The community of the term often references a shared consciousness of core beliefs, ideals, or identity in a broad population of people. In this sense, the term is, like Benedict Anderson’s concept of imagined community, a useful heuristic for exploring the social dimensions of interpretation. However, community is also sometimes used to characterize the situated sense-making practices of fan groups, subcultures, and other types of social collectivity. The question of whether the interpretive community is a metaphorical construct or an empirical description remains a source of debate in media and communication studies.

Littlejohn, Stephen W and Karen A.Floss. (2009). Encyclopedia of Communication Theory.USA:SAGE.

Penanggungjawab naskah :

Gayes Mahestu
Edwina Ayu Kustiawan