This volume examines socially-based theory and research, pedagogy and practice in professional communication. The contributors provide a comprehensive overview of the social perspective which emphasizes the context of communication, and then distinguish it from positivistic, cognitive and other competing approaches. After establishing a broad framework for situating developments in professional communication research, the book then moves on to: explore more particular topics, issues and problems within the perspective; examine the historical and theoretical traditions in rhetoric, semiotics, literary criticism, philosophy of science, social psychology and cultural anthropology; discuss implications for classroom practice in professional communication; and describe the ways that the social perspective has changed our understanding of communication in the workplace.