This book provides an overview of the ways in which social theories of contemporary society have tried to deal with the place of the media in the production and reproduction of culture. At the same time, Nick Stevenson illuminates the relation between general social theory and the range of communications theories of the medium and the message - concepts of media production, communication and reception. The key social theories of mass communication are clearly and critically examined. The text highlights the work of individual theorists including Raymond Williams, Stuart Hall, Jurgen Habermas, Marshall McLuhan, Fredric Jameson and Jean Baudrillard. The book also covers important traditions of media analysis from feminism, cultural studies and audience research. Showing how these theories can be seen as crucial in understanding contemporary societies and cultures, Stevenson invites a reappraisal of issues as varied as concepts of ideology, structure and agency, and of the role of the media in questions of ethics and citizenship. Understanding Media Cultures will be essential reading for students of social theory, mass communication, sociology of the media and cultural studies.