Human Communication in Society is the only text to show how the interplay between the individual and society impacts communication. By understanding how the tensions that exist among individual forces, societal forces, cultures, and context shape communication and meaning, students become more ethical and effective communicators.

Based on feedback of over 2,000 students who class tested the manuscript and over 100 faculty reviewers, Alberts, Nakayama, and Martin wrote Human Communication in Society in order to bring a comprehensive, balanced view to the study of human communication. Each of the three authors brings their expertise in their specific area of study to the text. Jess Alberts, a social scientist, focuses on interpersonal communication with special proficiency in conflict. Thomas Nakayama is a critical scholar with a focus on rhetoric and intercultural communication. Judith Martin rounds out the project as the interpretive scholar with her expertise in intercultural communication. This author combination brings to the market a balanced approach to the study of human communication.

This text is for the survey of Human Communication course, which covers multiple subfields of communication and presumes little if any public speaking assignments.