過去台灣傳播學界被視為理論性的研究，大多利用本地資料測試既有 理論，原創性不足。但要發展「中華傳播理論」，我們又面臨文化屬性難以掌握 的問題──我們很難在一個理論裡面找到專屬於某一文化的特質、或建構出只適 用於某一文化的理論。其次，文化的差異也使我們也不可能在自己的文化傳統中 找到現成的、符合社會科學研究定義的理論；我們所有的，只是足以發展成理論 的「胚胎」。 以本土文化為根基的理論化，將是與西方建立有意義對談的最有效途徑；也唯有 如此，華人傳播學者才能夠在國際學術社群中找到自己的位置。

A great majority of Taiwan's communication studies suffered from a lack of originality. But any attempt to develop “Chinese communication theories" would right away encounter the difficulties of defining “Chineseness": how can we identify in a theory characteristics that are unique to a specific culture, or construct a theory that is applicable to that culture only? Secondly, systematic differences also make it impossible for us to find readily available theories in the Chinese cultural tradition. What we have, are “embryos" of theories. Theorizing based on local cultural resources will be the most effective way to establish discourse with the West; only when this is accomplished can Chinese researchers find their proper place in the international academic community.

傳播理論;中華理論建構;文化與理論建構

Communication theory; Chinese theory construction; Culture and theory construction