Today, digital media saturate all domains of society. However, what are the consequences of such changing media environments to the construction of social reality? This paper aims at offering a conceptual approach which might be used to answer this question in the light of social constructivism. Our starting point is a discussion of the need for an advancement of constructivist thinking in Media and Communication studies. Drawing on the results of mediatization research, we show that the changes within the media environment have different consequences to each of the social domains. In light of this, a conceptual approach is needed that focuses on the meso level; particularly on issues of collectivity and organizations. In a further step, the main trends of a changing media environment are outlined and discussed with respect to their potential consequences to the construction of social reality. Finally, we introduce the approach of ‘communicative figurations’ in order to investigating these consequences. Hence, the transforming media-related construction of social reality can now be reconstructed empirically as well as theoretically on the meso level.

Key words: Media change, mediatization, social constructivism, figuration, media environment

The present discussion surrounding constructivism in communication studies is characterized especially by three questions: Precisely how does constructivist thinking manifest itself in media and communication research? Which foundation does it offer for empirical research? And in which way does this necessitate a shift in existing perspectives and approaches? These questions are addressed in the introduction to this special issue on ‘Constructivism in Communication Studies’. First, and with reference to the recent media change, it outlines why it is necessary to (re-)open the discussion on constructivism. On this basis, the trajectories of constructivism in German communication studies over the last 50 years are reconstructed and the different articles of this special issue are located in the discussion. Finally, ideas for a constructivist critique are introduced – a critique which becomes necessary in the light of the fundamental and deep character of recent changes in media and communications.

Key words: Constructivism, change of media and communication, transforming communications, critique, empirical media and communication research, mediatization

Using the updated Google Book corpus dataset generated in July 2012, we analyze the largest available corpus of digitalized books to review social macro trends such as the secularization, politicization, economization, and mediatization of society. These familiar trend statements are tested through a comparative analysis of word frequency time-series plots for the English, French, and German language area produced by means of the enhanced Google Ngram Viewer, the online graphing tool that charts annual word counts as found in the Google Book corpus. The results: a) confirm that the importance of the political system, religion, economy, and mass media features significant change in time and considerable regional differences and b) suggest that visions of economized or capitalist societies are intellectual artifacts rather than appropriate descriptions of society. Relevance: Social systems, functional differentiation, Niklas Luhmann, Google Ngram Viewer Using the updated Google Book corpus dataset generated in July 2012, we analyze the largest available corpus of digitalized books to review social macro trends such as the secularization, politicization, economization, and mediatization of society. These familiar trend statements are tested through a comparative analysis of word frequency time-series plots for the English, French, and German language area produced by means of the enhanced Google Ngram Viewer, the online graphing tool that charts annual word counts as found in the Google Book corpus. The results: a) confirm that the importance of the political system, religion, economy, and mass media features significant change in time and considerable regional differences and b) suggest that visions of economized or capitalist societies are intellectual artifacts rather than appropriate descriptions of society.

Key words: Social systems, functional differentiation, Niklas Luhmann, Google Ngram Viewer