ABSTRACT
This chapter explains several theoretical perspectives to build an integrated theory of communication and citizen journalism as civic participation. A substantial body of scholarship relies on communication mediation models that epitomize a mediating communication mechanism to explain how communication may yield not only direct effects but also indirect effects on the civic, community, and political life. For instance, J. M. McLeod and his associates adapted structural equation modeling to test how communication variables, alongside community integration, influence civic and political participation. While communication scholars paid attention to the communication mediation model, an increasing number of studies have shed light on the social capital and communication perspective in civic and political communication processes and outcomes. Despite different theoretical perspectives and definitions, the conceptual definition of social capital underscores the importance of social networks, which function as resources for communication and power.
