Development Communication: Reframing the Role of the Media

Development communication is the process of intervening in a systematic or strategic manner with either media (print, radio, telephony, video, and the Internet) or education (training, literacy, schooling) in order to promote positive social change. In Development Communication top media scholars explore the details of communication in areas where modernization has failed to deliver change. This core text gives a complete introduction to the history of development communication, major approaches and theories, the role of NGOs and foundations, feminism digital–divide, and the paradigm shift currently underway. The reframing stresses the power of grass–roots movements and “bottom–up” approaches that challenge the status quo and “top–down” focus of previous approaches.

List of Tables and Figure. Notes on Contributors. Preface. 1. Introduction to Development Communication (Thomas L. McPhail, University of Missouri–St. Lewis). 2. Major Theories Following Modernization (Thomas L. McPhail, University of Missouri–St. Lewis). 3. United Nations and Specialized Agencies (Thomas L. McPhail, University of Missouri–St. Lewis). 4. The Roles of Non–Governmental Organizations (NGOs) (Thomas L. McPhail, University of Missouri–St. Lewis). 5. Differing Views of World Culture (Thomas L. McPhail, University of Missouri–St. Lewis). 6. A Framework for Conceptualizing Technology in Development (Renée Houston, University of Puget Sound and Michele H. Jackson, University of Colorado and Boulder). 7. The Global Digital Divide (Mitchell F. Rice, Texas A&M University). 8. Feminism in a Post–Development Age (Luz Estella Porras, University of Oregon and H. Leslie Steeves, University of Oregon). 9. Sonagachi Project: A Case Study Set in India (Satarupa Dasgupta, Temple University). 10. Roma Project: A Case Study Set in Europe (Eva Szalvai, Colby–Sawyer College). 11. Summary and Conclusions (Thomas L. McPhail, University of Missouri–St. Lewis). Bibliography. Index.

Thomas L. McPhail is Professor of media studies and a fellow in the Center for International Studies at the University of Missouri in St. Louis. He serves as a media analyst for many media outlets including AP, NPR/PBS, Financial Post, and the New York Times. He is the author of many books, including Global Communication: Theories, Stakeholders, and Trends 2e (Wiley–Blackwell 2006).

"I think that this book offers an astute look at how the field of development communication has changed over time and why it has so much potential as a tool in development. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and found it very helpful in developing my understanding of the past, present, and future of the field of development communication." (Canadian Journal of Communication, 2011) "It fills the need for a readable approach to decades of development history, and gives a range of issues that any student of development communication should know, with thoughtful contexts and case studies designed to stimulate discussion." ( European Journal of Communication , July 2010)