Future Imperatives of Development Communication and Information
The practice of communication for development has evolved and undergone changes and adaptations during the five decades that followed its inception. Radio and expert-led instruction of the early years have evolved today into Internet-based interactive wireless facilities aimed at promoting community participation.
An Orbicom-UNESCO global initiative
A brief status report (12 November 2011)
The practice of communication for development has evolved and undergone changes and adaptations during the five decades that followed its inception. Radio and expert-led instruction of the early years have evolved today into Internet-based interactive wireless facilities aimed at promoting community participation.
Our understanding of what should drive development has also been in constant flux. Development imperatives have always decided the aims and methods of development communication. Early priorities focused on increasing crop yields on farms. This soon broadened to redress the inequalities inherent in the world economic system that favored the rich developed countries while curbing the full potential of developing nations. Presently, the excessive depletion of natural resources to satisfy the expansive activities of industries and governments have caused communities to fight for the conservation of the commons and their cultures via people’s movements mustered by vibrant participatory processes. This fight has now increased in its urgency due to the current financial meltdown and the on-going wars in various regions of the world, which are shattering the fundamentals of our capitalist system (driving the endless growth axiom) and undermining human nature and peace.
The launch of this global initiative was approved by the members of ORBICOM during their General Assembly of November 2008. ORBICOM Board members, Mr. Chin Saik Yoon and Dr. Jan Servaes were invited to coordinate this project.
The overall aim of this project is a global review of the field of Communication for Development to debate its future directions and planning for the retooling of its practice and research.
The following results are anticipated from this initiative:
1. A policy document outlining the future imperatives of development communication.
2. A discussion paper and a small portfolio of references on the future requirements of academic and training programs on development communication and information with suggestions on how curricula may be updated and adapted to meet future needs.
3. A small resource kit for practitioners containing succinct case-studies highlighting methodologies and best practices that may be applied in the field to respond to actual development imperatives of the near future.
4. Journal articles that will discuss the theory building already achieved in the field of development communication and information, as well as identify future directions of theory building.
5. A handbook, which presents an historical overview and a state-of-the-art assessment of the field.
6. The organization of an international conference.
Given the limited resources currently available for the delivery of the above ‘outputs’, the coordinators have opted for an incremental and strategic approach, partnering with regional and national organizations in the field.
- So far three regional conferences have been held: in Brussels (25 May 2010; http://www.signis.net/article.php3?id_article=4033 ), Bangkok (20-22 December 2010, http://203.131.210.100/conference/ or http://www.jcconference.co.cc/)
and Nairobi (27-29 June 2011, http://www.communicationafrica.org/).
A fourth will take place from 13 to 15 December 2011 in Cairo, Egypt (http://masscomm.cu.edu.eg/). More are being prepared for South and North America.
- Some of the papers presented at the above conferences have already been published in a number of journals (Telematics and Informatics, Public Relations review, Media Development, Signis, Communication for Development and Social Change, and Development in Practice) and there are more to come. Also a book with papers presented at the Bangkok conference is being prepared for publication by Sage-India (editor: Jan Servaes).
- Drafts of policy statements have been circulated among a select group of experts in preparation of the policy document.
- Dr. Rico Lie (University of Wageningen, The Netherlands) and Jan Servaes are coordinating the production of a handbook aimed at both undergraduate and graduate audiences.
- The so-called CSSC Encounters series, hosted by Amherstmedia.org (www.Amherstmedia.org/series/CSSC), is an attempt to start an oral history of the field of Communication for Development by way of interviews of scholars and ‘founding fathers’ of the field.
- A related project, endorsed by the former ADG of UNESCO’s Communication and Information Section, Dr. Abdul Waheed Khan (currently President of the Talal Abu Ghazaleh University of Business in Bahrain), is currently being worked out by Dr. Sundeep Moppidi (Secretary General of the Asian Mass Communication and Information Center AMIC) and Jan Servaes for the Asia-Pacific region.
Among the preliminary conclusions and recommendations for follow-up and action can be mentioned:
Among the preliminary conclusions and recommendations for follow-up and action can be mentioned:
- Develop an identity of communication — link communicators and de-fragment the field.
A general framework is needed that has some universal acceptance for Communication for Sustainable Social Change (CSSC).
A general framework is needed that has some universal acceptance for Communication for Sustainable Social Change (CSSC).
- More conceptual work is needed to develop specific frameworks for different kinds of communication for development. This highlights the importance of a contextual analysis (and the time to do it). How to integrate other disciplines (such as education and visual literacy) and corporate cultures in CSSC?
- Provide a platform/repository of case studies (with failures or challenges and success stories).
- The role of communication professionals in development has to be clarified. Which are their
core competencies and skills, and how do they relate to the context/community?
core competencies and skills, and how do they relate to the context/community?
The two top-priorities for the coming year will be:
- The further development of a web-based and properly refereed Clearinghouse on Communication and Information for Development and Social Change. Existing projects need to be scrutinized and assessed on strict academic quality criteria.
- The drafting of a position paper outlining a framework for CSSC, which would incorporate an overview of theoretical perspectives, focusing on the field rather than discipline(s), and with an elaborate comparative assessment of case studies (both success stories and failures).
Check for regular updates on www.csschange.org
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