Book chapter
The Panoptic View: A Discourse Approach to Communication and Development
Communication for Development and Social Change, pp.85-95
SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd
2008
DOI: 10.4135/9788132108474.n6
Abstract
This volume underlines that development communication: - Is, first and foremost,
about people and the process needed to facilitate their sharing of knowledge and
perceptions in order to effect positive developmental change.- Is based on
dialogue, which is necessary to promote stakeholders' participation. Such
participation is needed in order to understand stakeholder perceptions,
perspectives, values, attitudes and practices so they can be incorporated into
the design and implementation of development initiatives.- Follows the two-way,
horizontal model and not the traditional one-way, vertical model of
Sender-Message-Channel-Receiver and increasingly makes use of emerging many to
many forms of communication made possible through new technologies. - Gives
voice to those most affected by the development issue(s) at stake, allowing them
to participate directly in defining and implementing solutions and identifying
development directions.- Recognizes that reality is largely socially
constructed-and thus culture-specific. The implications are that there can be
different realities (or different perceptions of the same reality) for the same
situation according to specific groups' perceptions and needs. Thus the role of
development and by extension communication is not to "impose" the correct
reality, but rather to foster dialogue to facilitate mutual understanding among
different perspectives. - Uses a number of tools, techniques, media and methods
to facilitate mutual understanding, define and bridge differences of
perceptions, and take action towards change, according to the particular needs
of the development initiative. These tools and techniques should be used in an
integrated way and are most effective when used at the beginning of development
initiatives.Jan Servaes is Professor and Chair of the Department of
Communication at the University of Massachusetts at Amherst.
Details
- Title: Subtitle
- The Panoptic View: A Discourse Approach to Communication and Development
- Creators
- Sujatha Sosale - University of Iowa, School of Journalism and Mass Communication
- Contributors
- Jan Servaes (Editor)
- Resource Type
- Book chapter
- Publication Details
- Communication for Development and Social Change, pp.85-95
- DOI
- 10.4135/9788132108474.n6
- Publisher
- SAGE Publications India Pvt Ltd; New Delhi
- Language
- English
- Date published
- 2008
- Academic Unit
- International Programs; School of Journalism and Mass Communication; Interdisciplinary Programs
- Record Identifier
- 9984307653802771
Metrics
14 Record Views