National Communication Association
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| National Communication Association | |
|---|---|
| Name | National Communication Association |
| Abbreviation | NCA |
| Formation | 1914 |
| Type | Professional association |
| Headquarters | Washington, D.C. |
| Leader title | President |
National Communication Association is a U.S.-based scholarly association for professionals in speech communication, rhetoric, interpersonal communication, mass communication and related fields. Founded in 1914, it brings together scholars from institutions such as Harvard University, University of Illinois Urbana–Champaign, Stanford University, University of Southern California and University of Michigan to advance research, teaching, and practice. The association interacts with organizations including the American Association for the Advancement of Science, Modern Language Association, American Educational Research Association, Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication and International Communication Association.
History
The association emerged during the Progressive Era alongside institutions like Columbia University, University of Chicago, Johns Hopkins University and professional bodies such as the National Education Association. Early leaders included faculty from Northwestern University, Ohio State University, University of Wisconsin–Madison and University of Minnesota. The organization matured through the interwar period, paralleling developments at Princeton University, University of Pennsylvania, Yale University and participation in events like the World War I public information campaigns and debates over the Radio Act of 1927. Postwar expansion followed models from Harvard Business School and collaborations with Smith College, Swarthmore College and Tufts University, while grappling with issues highlighted by the Civil Rights Movement and the Vietnam War protests on campuses. The late 20th century saw growth tied to research centers at University of California, Berkeley, University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and Indiana University Bloomington.
Organization and Structure
Governance features an elected presidency comparable to leadership at American Psychological Association and an executive director model found at American Historical Association and National Council of Teachers of English. Committees mirror those at National Science Teachers Association and include divisions aligned with departments at University of Texas at Austin, Pennsylvania State University, Michigan State University and University of Iowa. Regional structures reflect conferences similar to Southern Communication Association, Eastern Communication Association, Western States Communication Association and Central States Communication Association. The association maintains offices in Washington, D.C., coordinating policy efforts with bodies like National Endowment for the Humanities, Department of Education (United States), Library of Congress and advocacy groups such as Common Cause.
Programs and Activities
The association runs teaching initiatives influenced by models at Carnegie Mellon University, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Brown University and Duke University. It offers workshops on pedagogy used at University of California, Los Angeles, Vanderbilt University and University of Florida. Professional development programs mirror those by American Council on Education and partner with centers at Syracuse University, George Washington University and Georgetown University. Public advocacy has involved campaigns similar to those by American Civil Liberties Union and coalitions with Association of American Universities and Council of Graduate Schools.
Publications and Research
The association publishes journals akin to Journal of Communication, Quarterly Journal of Speech, Communication Monographs, and book series comparable to offerings from Oxford University Press, Routledge, Cambridge University Press and SAGE Publications. Its research priorities intersect with centers at Annenberg School for Communication and Journalism, Kennedy School of Government, Brookings Institution and Pew Research Center. Editorial boards include scholars affiliated with Columbia Journalism School, Medill School of Journalism, Hampshire College and Rutgers University. Grants and fellowships reflect funding patterns seen with National Science Foundation, Fulbright Program, Ford Foundation and Andrew W. Mellon Foundation.
Conferences and Awards
Annual conventions attract delegates from institutions like Princeton University, Cornell University, Brown University, Emory University and Boston University, paralleling gatherings such as the American Political Science Association annual meeting. The association bestows awards with histories similar to the Pulitzer Prize, Emmy Awards (in media studies analogies), and disciplinary honors akin to prizes from American Sociological Association and Modern Language Association. Panels often feature scholars connected to Yale Law School, Georgetown University Law Center, Columbia Law School and international partners such as Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication affiliates in Europe and Asia.
Membership and Outreach
Membership includes faculty from Temple University, Michigan State University, University of Arizona, Arizona State University; graduate students from Indiana University Bloomington, University of Kansas, University of Colorado Boulder; practitioners from organizations like National Public Radio, CNN, The New York Times and The Washington Post; and international scholars from London School of Economics, University of Toronto, University of Melbourne and University of Oxford. Outreach efforts coordinate with civic partners such as AmeriCorps, Peace Corps, Smithsonian Institution and educational consortia including Council on Undergraduate Research.