The two beginnings of communication theory

The beginning of Bateson’s communication theory dates to 1951. In that year Bateson published together with the psychiatrist Jurgen Ruesch, “Communication: The Social Matrix of Psychiatry” (Ruesch and Bateson, 1951). In this book Bateson initiated the beginnings of a modern and today widely absorbed communication theory which until today still remains often unconnected with his name. He introduced several terms, such as ‘metacommunication’ or ‘analogic and digital communication’, which are now considered common currency. It was also the first time that modern cybernetics and information theory were extensively used in social science.