"Based on Mda's experience in Southern Africa, the book shows how drama and theatre can be used effectively in social development. Mda argues, that communication should be democratized, that it should increase participation and promote equity and self-reliance. If theatre is to play a role in the de
...
velopment concerns faced by communities, a carefully thought-out method of combining intervention and participation is needed to provide a genuine two-way communication to revitalize cultural expression." (Mothers & Children, 2/1994, page 8)
more
"The book covers three main themes: 1. the relationship of interdependence between culture, education and communication; 2. the need for participatory processes in sustainable development, and 3. the crucial importance of culturally appropriate communication systems and approaches to education and t
...
raining. These themes are discussed from a general, rather theoretical perspective in the first two chapters. The rest of the book has these themes recurring in discussions of specific development strategies, perception studies, and the various media used for development." (https://www.ircwash.org/resources)
more
"The book presents ideas and techniques which can be used to communicate, educate and train for Third World development. The material was developed from training workshops for trainers. The main purpose of the book is to make ways of communication more effective. This involves using design and illus
...
tration materials and media that can be printed, reproduced or broadcast. It stresses low cost approaches." (CAMECO Media Forum)
more
"This is an international survey of all types of literature on mass communication of the Caribben region presenting 3,695 citations. The book is organized by regions, divided by the nations' ties to a metropolitan power. Countries such as Dominican Republic and Haiti with longer histories of indepen
...
dence are listed separately. (The vast reservoirs of data on Cuban mass communication necessitated a separate volume.) Topically, the chapters are divided into possible categories of general studies, advertising, broadcasting, development communication, film, freedom of the press, history of media, journalism education and training, news agencies, popular culture, print media, and telecommunications. Because of the recency of Caribbean mass communication as a field of study, the emphasis in this book is the period from the 1970s to the present. Many works of historical significance, however, are also cited, including nineteenth and early twentieth century works. Overall, the bibliography is representative in covering all genres of publications – books, periodicals, dissertations, theses, and conference papers. Although the bibliography consists mainly of English-language publications, hundreds of citations appear from other languages. The work is complete with a general subject index and author index." (Publisher website)
more
"This book focuses on designing audience-responsive messages for use in developing countries. Author Bella Mody explains an audience research-based methodology to bridge the cultural and informational distance between senders and receivers. The introductory background against which the author review
...
s the research on media effects is a historical discussion of the origins and nature of media use in national development. Mody then presents audience research as a systematic device for the involvement of message receivers in decisions concerning message design. In short, the audience contributes to and tests what the message needs to say and how it is delivered. This volume, focused on instruction for development and communication planners, as well as media workers, proposes first listening to the audience so as to determine which information the audience needs and in what form they can process it most effectively and, then, pretesting messages before they are produced in their final form." (Website Communication Initiative, 11/2007)
more
"Regarding the use of traditional communication for development, a holistic view and not just an isolated study of one or another medium or tradition is thus essential. Such an approach is the subject of a field of research and study which would be called ethnocommunication. Ethocommunication is "th
...
e description and study of communication means, communication structures and communication processses in cultural units" (Eilers, 1986). After the study and description of different traditional means of communication available in a given society or culture, it is important to analyze their use and their relationships with each other as well as within the life of a community. Who and what determines the communication processes of the people concerned? Here, of course, the social structure comes to mind immediately. Such a structure definitely will be an important element, as it will determine where the different communicators and recipients are to be placed within the respective society. The social structure also gives the different communication processes their weight and importance, or their irrelevance, within that society. The importance of such social structures and of such networks of communication has been described in more general terms already. In addition, however, the importance of the value structure of a society must be considered and studied, especially in relation to traditional means of communication and communication for development in general [...] At this point, we also must ask what we mean by development. We definitely do not define development as transfer of technology or technological information only. More importantly, awareness of a peoples' own culture, society, expectations, and needs should be emphasized. In addition, the awareness of a given people of themselves and of the possibilities and alternatives they have within the existing framework of action, and how they are constrained by material and human resources, should be increased. Instead of being directed or dominated by urban-centered local or foreign "change agents," and by approaches resulting from concern with political power or prestige, people everywhere need to become aware of their indigenous values which have always been flexibly related to changes, but which have also given their lives a firm foundation and coherence, often for centuries. They should also become aware of their own existing communication media and networks, and should be assisted in building on them communication alternatives for development.
The Christian churches, especially in Latin America, are going through an experience which have made them aware that it is not the institutionalized church or parish which moves people and makes them live their faith, but small Christian communities. Small groups of people coming together, reading the Bible, and discussing their daily life situation in the light of the scriptures are becoming a driving force, and they apparently have released new powers and talents among average and even poor people. Something similar is needed in all communication for development. The ethnocommunication approach thus seems to be one way to study how communication "means," structures and processes input in daily life by taking not only the social but also the value structures of a society into careful consideration. On the other hand, ethnocommunication should not be regarded as merely another method for selling goods or ideas, but to better make people understand their own situations and opportunities and, going on from there, help them decide if and how they want to develop new ways of dealing with contemporary challenges and opportunities." (Pages 304-307)
more
"Ein Bild sagt mehr als 1000 Worte. Das stimmt, aber leider nur in ganz wenigen Bereichen, wo die Gestalt, die oberflächliche Beschaffenheit der Dinge im Brennpunkt der Betrachtung steht. Meist ist es aber andersherum, Worte sind viel aussagekräftiger und als Kommunikationsmittel viel universeller
...
als Bilder. Und erst die richtige Kombination von Wort und Bild ist dem einzelnen Medium überlegen, und das gilt in Schriftkulturen ebenso wie in der Kommunikation mit Analphabeten. Die wahren Potentiale der Bildkommunikation werden meistens überschätzt und andererseits nur selten voll ausgeschöpft. Hier setzt dieses Buch an, und versucht Aufklärung in historischer und universeller Sichtweise. Das Verständnis der europäischen Mediengeschichte soll es leichter machen, sich in die noch überwiegend orale Welt Afrikas zu versetzen und eine systematische Beschreibung der Möglichkeiten und Grenzen der Bildkommunikation setzt den allgemeinen theoretischen Rahmen. Entsprechend einer situationsfunktionalen Herangehensweise werden danach Grundfragen der Kommunikation mit Analphabeten angesprochen und die Rahmenbedingungen der Kommunikationssituation von Programmen und Projekten der ländlichen Entwicklung in Afrika beschrieben. Darauf aufbauend folgen zwei zentrale Beispiele, wie bildgestützte Kommunikation schon erfolgreich in Afrika entwickelt und eingesetzt wurde. Deren kritische Betrachtung und vergleichende Analyse führt dann zusammen mit den angewandten Grundlagen zu praktischen Empfehlungen." (Verlagsbeschreibung für die zweite Aufl. 2000)
more