Participatory Development Communication

Provides advice to researchers, community members, and development practitioners on how to improve their ability to effectively reach policy makers and promote change. Covers their roles as a communication actors, how to plan a participatory development communication strategy, and the use of communication tools.

Participatory Development Communication: A West African agenda

In natural resource management research, best practice implies the participation of community members, research or development teams and other stakeholders to jointly identify research and development parameters and contribute to decision making. Ideally, the research or development process itself generates a situation of empowerment in which participants transform their vision and become able to take effective action. Used increasingly widely in resource management, this process is known as Participatory Development Communication (PDC).This book presents conceptual and methodological issues r.

What do we mean when we say participatory communication? What are the practical implications of working with participatory communication strategies in development and social change processes? What experiences exists in practice that documents that participatory communication adds value to a development project or programme? The aim of this user guide on participatory communication is to provide answers to some of these questions. Many communication practitioners and development workers face obstacles and challenges in their practical work. A participatory communication strategy offers a very specific perspective on how to articulate social processes, decision-making processes and any change process for that matter. Participatory approaches are nothing new. However, what is new is the proliferation of institutions, especially governmental but also non-governmental, that seek participatory approaches in their development initiative. This guide seeks to provide perspectives, tools and experiences regarding how to go about it with participatory communication strategies. It is conceived as a guide that hopefully can be of relevance and utility for development workers in the field. It is targeted at both at government and their officials, World Bank staff and at civil society.

This pioneering and thought-provoking volume explores the strengths, weaknesses, and complex nature of participation in many diverse settings while pinpointing important related concepts such as power and control, conscientization, and empowerment and self-reliance. Two central themes run throughout Participatory Communication: development communication must be dialogic and transactional; and development communicators must play a critical role in offering new philosophies, concepts, and models which facilitate participation at all stages of the development process. With its judicious blend of theoretical models and case studies and its refreshing ability to challenge received wisdom concerning participation, development, and communication processes, Participatory Communication will interest a wide range of academics and professionals as well as voluntary agencies. "This book comes close to being unrivalled for its scope . . . and reflects the sincerity and concern of the contributors for the toiling marginalised muted millions." -Economic and Political Weekly "As a professor of development communication myself, I intend to read the book again and again. It fulfills the voracious requirements of the duty to profess to students. It is a virtual encyclopedia on development communication, what with its 21 chapters dedicated to one or the other aspect of the philosophies, theories, models, practices, and history of that field, particularly the concept of participation . . . All in all, the book celebrates a philosophy that `has influenced a generation' of practitioners, students, and scholars of development and communication." -Media Asia

This collection of 15 essays on participatory communication covers a wide range of contexts and countries. The book challenges the field of development communication to rethink its role in elaborating the concepts and practices of people′s participation. Part One presents theoretical perspectives on policy issues and political ideologies; Part Two explores diverse methodological issues arising from current debates in the social sciences and development sociology. The final part details significant case studies which articulate specific experiences of interfacing theory and practice.

The 'Development Communication Sourcebook' highlights how the scope and application of communication in the development context are broadening to include a more dialogic approach. This approach facilitates assessment of risks and opportunities, prevents problems and conflicts, and enhances the results and sustainability of projects when implemented at the very beginning of an initiative. The book presents basic concepts and explains key challenges faced in daily practice. Each of the four modules is self-contained, with examples, toolboxes, and more.