Em Griffin is Professor of Communication at Wheaton College in Illinois, where he has taught for the past twenty-six years and has been chosen Teacher of the Year. He received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Michigan, and his M.A. and Ph.D. in Communication from Northwestern University. His research interest centers on the development of close friendships. Professor Griffin is the author of three applied communication books: The Mind Changers analyzes practical techniques of persuasion; Getting Together offers research-based suggestions for effective group leadership; and Making Friends describes the way that quality interpersonal communication can build close relationships. He also speaks and leads workshops on these topics in the United States, Singapore, and the Philippines. Professor Griffin’s wife, Jean, is an artist. They have two adult children, Jim and Sharon.

The most widely-used textbook for the communication theory course, A First Look at Communication Theory analyzes the major communication theories at a level that is appropriate for both lower- and upper-level courses. The 32 theories represented in the text reflect a mix of foundational and recent scholarship and strike a balance of scientific and interpretive approaches.