What is Communication What is Communication for Development?for Development?

JMS3 JDD 2006JMS3 JDD 2006

From: Melcote and SteevesFrom: Melcote and Steeves

Communication for Communication for developmentdevelopment

““People cannot be liberated by a People cannot be liberated by a consciousness and knowledge other than their consciousness and knowledge other than their own.” - Fals-Borda own.” - Fals-Borda

Emphasis on the organisational value of Emphasis on the organisational value of communication (as opposed to its transmission communication (as opposed to its transmission value) and how it may be harnessed to help value) and how it may be harnessed to help empower marginalized groups and empower marginalized groups and communities. communities.

Modernisation paradigmModernisation paradigm

Ironically, ‘development’ is nowadays Ironically, ‘development’ is nowadays associated with greater poverty levels. associated with greater poverty levels.

The premise has been that when nations The premise has been that when nations develop, they reduce poverty – this hasn’t develop, they reduce poverty – this hasn’t happened in many parts of the world. happened in many parts of the world.

This suggests that the nature and method of This suggests that the nature and method of development is wrong development is wrong

3 qualities of modernisation theory and practice 3 qualities of modernisation theory and practice have contributed to a situation where have contributed to a situation where development produced deprivation and human development produced deprivation and human misery, especially in the Third World:misery, especially in the Third World:

1. Blaming the victim1. Blaming the victim

Ideological process of justifying inequality in Ideological process of justifying inequality in society by finding defects in the victims of society by finding defects in the victims of inequality. inequality.

““It is a brilliant ideology for justifying a perverse It is a brilliant ideology for justifying a perverse form of social action designed to change, not form of social action designed to change, not society, as one might expect, but rather society, as one might expect, but rather society’s victim.” (Ryan 1976)society’s victim.” (Ryan 1976)

2. Social Darwinism2. Social Darwinism Believed that government interventions on Believed that government interventions on

behalf of the poor would have catastrophic behalf of the poor would have catastrophic results since they would interfere with the laws results since they would interfere with the laws of natural selection. of natural selection.

Today’s victim blamers talk of ‘cultural Today’s victim blamers talk of ‘cultural deprivation’ instead of the earlier notion of race deprivation’ instead of the earlier notion of race and class differences in intellectual ability and and class differences in intellectual ability and laziness is often replaced by a new term: ‘culture laziness is often replaced by a new term: ‘culture of poverty’ = provincial orientation, low formal of poverty’ = provincial orientation, low formal participation, a lack of integration into national participation, a lack of integration into national institutions, a strong present-time orientation, institutions, a strong present-time orientation, inability to defer gratification, and fatalism. inability to defer gratification, and fatalism.

3. Modernisation’s sustainance of 3. Modernisation’s sustainance of unequal class structuresunequal class structures Blame the victim ideologists, social Darwinists, Blame the victim ideologists, social Darwinists,

and the top-down experts of development, and the top-down experts of development, among others, have aimed to change the among others, have aimed to change the individual but leave the structure of dependency individual but leave the structure of dependency within and between societies intact. within and between societies intact.

Poverty is, um, a lack of money!Poverty is, um, a lack of money! Ryan: “Poverty is an economic status Ryan: “Poverty is an economic status

etiologically related to the absence of both etiologically related to the absence of both monetary input and access to income generating monetary input and access to income generating resources.”resources.”

So, surely the best strategy for overcoming So, surely the best strategy for overcoming poverty would be to bring every poor person poverty would be to bring every poor person above the poverty line through a transfer of above the poverty line through a transfer of resources. In the US, 2% of GDP would be resources. In the US, 2% of GDP would be required for this purpose. required for this purpose.

But, poverty not seen as a lack of money, but But, poverty not seen as a lack of money, but the result of the lower-class culture of the poor the result of the lower-class culture of the poor or the traditional culture of the peasants. or the traditional culture of the peasants.

The solution isn’t distribution of resources, but The solution isn’t distribution of resources, but on how to transform the “way of life” of the poor, on how to transform the “way of life” of the poor, including deep-seated cultural beliefs and including deep-seated cultural beliefs and lifestyles. lifestyles.

An ethical perspective on An ethical perspective on development:development:

Value traditional cultures;Value traditional cultures; Consider all levels of society;Consider all levels of society; Involve people at the grassroots in all facets of Involve people at the grassroots in all facets of

the process;the process; Aim for just and fair distribution of rewards;Aim for just and fair distribution of rewards; Prioritise basic needs as defined by those who Prioritise basic needs as defined by those who

experience them. experience them.

The focus on unequal power dynamics has The focus on unequal power dynamics has important implications – goal is no longer important implications – goal is no longer information delivery and diffusion. information delivery and diffusion.

Instead, goal is to work at the grassroots so Instead, goal is to work at the grassroots so people and organisations there may eventually people and organisations there may eventually have a voice in political, economic, and have a voice in political, economic, and ideological processes. ideological processes.

Community empowerment Community empowerment paradigmparadigm

Implies change where community Implies change where community members influence the agenda, design members influence the agenda, design and processesand processes

But, empowerment requires: But, empowerment requires: Long-term process - cannot be acquired in a Long-term process - cannot be acquired in a

single workshop; single workshop; It “evolves through practice in a real-life It “evolves through practice in a real-life

situation” (Melcote and Steeves);situation” (Melcote and Steeves); Labour-intensive process.Labour-intensive process.

Role of DSC professional:Role of DSC professional: Never the central figureNever the central figure A facilitator, collaborator, advocate A facilitator, collaborator, advocate Locus of control is moved from outsiders Locus of control is moved from outsiders

(development experts, professional (development experts, professional communicators, journalists) and to the communicators, journalists) and to the individuals and groups directly affected individuals and groups directly affected (citizens).(citizens).

Empowerment:Empowerment: Provides skills, confidence and countervailing Provides skills, confidence and countervailing

power to deal effectively with social change in power to deal effectively with social change in a world that distributes needs, resources and a world that distributes needs, resources and power unequally. power unequally.

Privileges multiple voices and perspectives Privileges multiple voices and perspectives and facilitates equal sharing of knowledge and facilitates equal sharing of knowledge and solution alternatives among participants and solution alternatives among participants in process. in process.

Participation-as-end approachParticipation-as-end approach Participation as basic right (not merely means to Participation as basic right (not merely means to

measurable development goal)measurable development goal) Participatory action research methodology Participatory action research methodology

(PAR)(PAR) Aims to initiate collaborative social action and Aims to initiate collaborative social action and

empower local knowledgeempower local knowledge Consciousness raising, followed by reflection, leading Consciousness raising, followed by reflection, leading

to participatory social action. to participatory social action. Understanding the importance of local organisations;Understanding the importance of local organisations; Recognising that existing organisations are usually Recognising that existing organisations are usually

more effective than new ones, given strong and more effective than new ones, given strong and historic relational ties;historic relational ties;

Knowing how organisations may provide a context Knowing how organisations may provide a context and process for critical reflection leading to social and process for critical reflection leading to social action.action.

More specifically, the communication for More specifically, the communication for development practitioner may be of help in the development practitioner may be of help in the following areas:following areas: Suggesting and facilitating activities that enhance Suggesting and facilitating activities that enhance

experience and competence;experience and competence; Enhancing group structure and capacity;Enhancing group structure and capacity; Removing social and environmental barriers;Removing social and environmental barriers; Enhancing environmental support and resources. Enhancing environmental support and resources. In the end, the communication for development In the end, the communication for development

practitioner’s role should become redundant and practitioner’s role should become redundant and he/she should withdraw. he/she should withdraw.

Don Snowden, 1970s, Don Snowden, 1970s, Newfoundland, CanadaNewfoundland, Canada

Video to build linkages and resolve conflicts Video to build linkages and resolve conflicts between scientists and indigenous groups, and between scientists and indigenous groups, and between fishing communities and politicians. between fishing communities and politicians.

Fogo Island processFogo Island process allowed rural allowed rural communities to express their demands and communities to express their demands and share their predicament on video with share their predicament on video with politicians in Ottawa. politicians in Ottawa.

Non-professionals can become skilled at using Non-professionals can become skilled at using media: opens up opportunities for them to have media: opens up opportunities for them to have access to, and control over, the tools for access to, and control over, the tools for information and communication generation and information and communication generation and exchange. exchange.

So what should be the role of the “journalist/ So what should be the role of the “journalist/ media professional/ development media professional/ development communicator”? communicator”?

For some there is a role for the professional For some there is a role for the professional media team, trained in participatory approaches media team, trained in participatory approaches to act as facilitators with local communities. to act as facilitators with local communities.

Others have based all their work on the handing Others have based all their work on the handing over of media skills to the community itself. over of media skills to the community itself.

BUT, whatever the strategies, there is a danger BUT, whatever the strategies, there is a danger of creating new of creating new exclusion zonesexclusion zones. This can be . This can be the result of several different factors: the result of several different factors: The location of equipment:The location of equipment: In which town/village, in whose In which town/village, in whose

offices? Male, young population often finds a way to control offices? Male, young population often finds a way to control resources. Children, women and the elderly less well resources. Children, women and the elderly less well represented. represented.

Language:Language: In a multilingual environment, development In a multilingual environment, development intervention must envisage a multilingual communication intervention must envisage a multilingual communication strategy - language of the community must play major role. What strategy - language of the community must play major role. What language will people have to work in to operate and use the language will people have to work in to operate and use the technology? technology?

Technology "literacy":Technology "literacy": How to give access to basic skills to How to give access to basic skills to large sections of the population? Focus on easy-to-use large sections of the population? Focus on easy-to-use technologies and cultivate different approach by professionals technologies and cultivate different approach by professionals who act as mediators/facilitators in the use of the technology.who act as mediators/facilitators in the use of the technology.