Foote, Jeremy. "A systems approach to studying online communities." Media and Communication 10.2 (2022): 29-40.

This article discusses the resurgence of systems theory in communication research, particularly in the context of online communities, facilitated by the availability of large-scale, multilevel data and computational advances. Systems theory, which highlights how individuals and groups interact with their broader environment, has long influenced communication theories through concepts like emergence and feedback loops. The author outlines four systems-based approaches used in recent research: community comparisons, individual trajectories, cross-level mechanisms, and simulating emergent behavior. The article concludes with a discussion on the opportunities and challenges this resurgence presents for quantitative communication scholars, emphasizing the potential for a deeper understanding of complex interactions within online communities.