mediadev library

Reflections on the International Association for Media and Communication Research: Many Voices, One Forum

Jörg Becker, Robin Mansell (eds.)

Cham: Palgrave Macmillan (2023), xxxvii, 558 pp.

"Established in 1957, the International Association for Media and Communication Research (IAMCR) has facilitated international exchanges and research collaborations among academics, journalists, and other practitioners, addressing media and communication problems and influencing theory and practice ... more

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Handbook of Communication and Development

Srinivas R. Melkote, Arvind Singhal (eds.)

Cheltenham: Edward Elgar Publishing (2021), xvii, 397 pp.

"This incisive Handbook critically examines the role and place of media and communication in development and social change, reflecting a vision for change anchored in values of social justice. Outlining the genealogy and history of the field, it then investigates the possible new directions and obje ... more

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Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change
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Jan Servaes (ed.)

Singapore: Springer (2020), 2 vols.

"The book contains 85 chapters written by persons who have been on those frontlines of communication and development [...] A variety of case studies appear in the book. For example, Kriss Barker and Fatou Jah – in a chapter titled “Entertainment-Education in Radio: Three Case Studies from Africa ... ” – explore in detail projects in Nigeria, Burundi and Burkina Faso that used a communication intervention approach advanced by the Population Media Center. Other chapters in the Handbook take the reader to Spain, Kenya, South Africa, Kazakhstan, and beyond. Song Shi examines “ICTs and Modernization in China,” revealing that assumptions and theories of the modernization paradigm have significantly influenced the policies and projects on ICT4D in contemporary China. And, Song Shi writes, discussion on the potential of other approaches in ICT4D in China has also emerged among scholars. Hina Ayaz discusses the “Multiplicity Approach in Participatory Communication” in Pakistan – wherein the country adopted the Global Polio Eradication Initiative – only to run into negative perceptions and banning of polio vaccinations. However, a shift to a more successful approach, grounded in UNICEF’s social mobilization and communityinvolvement communication strategy, brought significant success. While many of the Handbook case studies incorporate participation as a significant development factor, they also address a wide range of social and political issues including, for example, civic engagement, sexual harassment, empowerment, and community voices. In addition to an abundance of case studies from around the world, the Handbook delves into various research methods that are being used to understand and design communication for development and social change interventions [...] Handbook editor Jan Servaes' own chapter (with Rico Lie), “Key Concepts, Disciplines, and Fields in Communication for Development and Social Change ” identifies five clusters of concepts and practices that are evident in the field today and which determine the activities and approaches in communication for sustainable development and social change interventions: The clusters are (1) a normative cluster of concepts; (2) a cluster of concepts that sets an important context for communication activities for development; (3) a cluster of strategic and methodological concepts; (4) a cluster of concepts that relate to methods, techniques, and tools; and (5) a cluster of concepts that addresses the practices of advocacy, (participatory) monitoring and evaluation, and impact assessment. The authors extend their discussion into three subdivisions: (1) health communication, (2) agricultural extension and rural communication, and (3) environmental communication (including climate change communication). This leads the reader into issues related to (1) right to communicate; (2) education and learning; (3) innovation, science, and technology; (4) natural resource management; (5) food security; (6) poverty reduction; (7) peace and conflict; (8) children and youth, women, and senior citizens; and (9) tourism. Some of the forerunners of development communication have not been forgotten. In “Daniel Lerner and the Origins of Development Communication”, Hemant Shah links Lerner’s 1958 book Passing of Traditional Society to today’s modernization and faith in technology to solve social problems. Also contributing to the foundation of this field is Paulo Freire who contributed much to idea that participation should be a vital part of the development dialogue. Ana Fernández-Aballí Altamirano’s chapter on "The Importance of Paulo Freire to Communication for Development and Social Change" highlights his main work Pedagogy of the Oppressed as a "before-and-after" in the fields of education, research, and communication, initially in Latin America and later in both North and South. Particularly in the case of development communication and communication for social change, the author stresses, Freire’s work had a definitive impact ..." (Review by Royal Donald Colle, Journal of Development Communication, vol. 30 (2), page 92-94) more

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International Media Development: Historical Perspectives and New Frontiers
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Nicholas Benequista, Susan Abbott, Paul Rothman, Winston Mano (eds.)

New York et al.: Peter Lang (2019), xv, 277 pp.

"This collection is the first of its kind on the topic of media development. It brings together luminary thinkers in the field—both researchers and practitioners—to reflect on how advocacy groups, researchers, the international community and others can work to ensure that media can continue to s ... more

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Measures of Press Freedom and Media Contributions to Development: Evaluating the Evaluators
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Monroe E. Price, Susan Abbott, Libby Morgan (eds.)

New York: Peter Lang (2011), vi, 343 pp.

"Press freedom indices such as those administered by Freedom House, IREX, and Reporters Without Borders have emerged as crucial tools, not only for the general public, but also for donors, implementers, and academics in their attempts to understand the relationships among media assistance, democrati ... more

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A Case for the Quantitative Assessment of Participatory Communication Programs

Tom Jacobson

Glocal Times, issue 9 (2007), 14 pp.

"What is dialog, and how can it be measured in a meaningful way? In this article, Jacobson presents an approach to assessing participatory communication based on communication in the form of dialog as conceptualized by Jurgen Habermas." (Abstract)

Reflections on the International Association for Media and Communication Research: Many Voices, One Forum

Handbook of Communication and Development

Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change Top Insights

International Media Development: Historical Perspectives and New Frontiers Top Insights

Measures of Press Freedom and Media Contributions to Development: Evaluating the Evaluators Top Insights

A Case for the Quantitative Assessment of Participatory Communication Programs

Handbook of Communication for Development and Social Change
Top Insights

International Media Development: Historical Perspectives and New Frontiers
Top Insights

Measures of Press Freedom and Media Contributions to Development: Evaluating the Evaluators
Top Insights