1- Communication Studies in Africa: The Case for a Paradigm Shift for the 21st Century
Corresponding Author(s) : Eddah Mutua-Kombo
Africa Media Review,
Vol. 12 No. 2 (2004): Africa Media Review, Volume 12, n° 2, 2004
Abstract
The paradigm for communication education in African universities has historically revolved around a mass communication or media-centered perspective. This orientation of the discipline in the African continent resulted from structural forces that derived from historical legacies rooted in Africa’s colonial past as well as the theoretical attraction of the mass media as agents of change. Additionally, the need to train university graduates for careers in journalism,
broadcasting, public relations, and advertising has helped to entrench this paradigm as the cornerstone of communication education in Africa. Elsewhere however the discipline has experienced widespread growth in human
communication specialties in such areas as intercultural communication, speech communication, interpersonal communication and others. This paper argues for a paradigm shift asserting that the time is ripe for the discipline at African universities to expand by shifting towards greater emphasis on human communication. Such a transformation would permit better understanding of the African communication environment as well as enable scholars to better respond, from a communication perspective, to the challenges of development in such areas as conflict resolution and, interethnic disputes among others. To achieve this, it is suggested that a consortium of communication scholars and other stakeholders convene to engage in discussions on new ways of thinking about communication education. The dialogue would need to be sensitive to past forces that have catalyzed change in meaningful directions.
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- Alali, Andy (1995) ‘Communication infrastructure for development in Nigeria.’ In Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp.291–304.
- Ansu-Kyeremeh, K. (1997) Communication, Education and Development: Exploring an African Cultural Setting. Accra: Ghana Universities Press.
- Ansu-Kyeremeh, K. (2005) Indigenous communication in Africa: a conceptual framework. In K.
- Ansu-Kyeremeh (ed.) Indigenous Communication in Africa: Concept, Application and Prospects. Accra: Ghana Universities Press. Pp.15– 25.
- Asante, M., Newman, V., and Blake, C. (Eds.) (1979) Handbook of intercultural communication.
- Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications Awa, Njoku (1995) ‘The role of indigenous media in African social development’. In Nwosu, P. Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp. 237–251.
- Awa. Njoku E. (2005) ‘Combining modern and traditional media forms in promoting development
- objectives in Africa’. In K. Ansu-Kyeremeh (ed.) Indigenous Communication in Africa: Concept, Application and Prospects. Accra: Ghana Universities Press. Pp. 220–228.
- Blake, C. (1993) ‘Traditional African values and the right to communicate’. Africa Media Review, Vol 7 (3) 201–216.
- Blake, C. (1979) ‘Communication research and African national development: Some challenges for communication specialists’. Journal of Black Studies 10(2), 218–230.
- Boafo, Kwame S. T. and Wete, Francis (2002) Communication training in Africa: Model curricula.
- Paris: UNESCO (pp. 1–6). [See also L. Odiambo, S. T. Kwame-Boafo, A. Aznah, and C. Sy (2002), ‘Communication education and training in the 21st century: The African context (pp. 7–14). In Communication and Training in Africa: Model Curricula. Paris: UNESCO.]
- Cronen, Vernon E (1998) ‘Communication theory for the twenty-first century: cleaning up the wreckage of the psychology project’. In J. Trent (Ed) Communication: Views from the helm for the 21st century (pp. 18–38). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- Cushman, Donald P (1998) ‘Visions of order in human communication theory’. In J. Trent (Ed) Communication: Views from the helm for the 21st century (pp. 8–13) Needham, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
- Frey, L. Botan, C., Friedman, P. & Kreps, G. (1991). Investigating communication.
- An introduction to research methods. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
- Lerner, Daniel (1958) The passing of traditional society. New York: The Free Press. McClelland, David (1961) The achieving society. Princeton, New Jersey: Van Nostrand Company.
- Moemeka, Andrew A (2000) Development communication in action: Building understanding and creating participation. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America.
- Mohammed, Jubril (1995). ‘Development Communication Training in Africa’. In Nwosu, P.,Onwumechili,
- C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s
- perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press.
- Mukassa, Stanford (1995). ‘Towards a Pan African cooperation in satellite communication. An
- analysis of the RASCOM Project’. In Nwosu, P. , Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp. 253–275.
- Nordenstreng, Kaarle and Boafo, S.T. Kwame (1988). Promotion of Textbooks for the Training of
- Journalists in Anglophone Africa. Budapest: Mass Communication Research Centre.
- Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds.) (1995). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press.
- Nwosu, P., Taylor, D., Mutua-Kombo, E. and Alali, A. (2003). ‘Panel on expanding communication Studies in African Universities’. 13th Biennial Conference, African Council for Communication Education, Abuja, Nigeria. Olorunnisola, Anthony (1995) ‘Communication technologies for development. The broadcast media’. In Nwosu, P. , Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds).
- Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp. 277–290.
- Opubor, A., (2004) ‘What my grandmother taught me about communication: perspective on African cultural values’, Africa Media Review, Vol 12 (1):43– 57.
- Ozoh, Hilary (1995). ‘Media use patterns in Nigeria’. In Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press.
- Schramm, W. (1964) Mass media and national development. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
- Shopa-Mafole, Lyndell (2004) ‘Journalists and the information society in Africa’. Rhodes Journalism Review. South Africa, 11:17.
- Taylor, Donald S. (2002) ‘Africa and the information age’. In Africanwatch. Sacramento: CA. February/March, 31–32.
- Taylor, Donald (1995). ‘Audience activity and media use in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A uses and effects perspectives’. In Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America. Pp. 193–217.
- Taylor, Donald S. (1991) ‘Application of the uses and dependency model of mass communication to development communication in the Western Area of Sierra Leone’. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.
- Taylor, D. S. (1981) The mass media and national development with reference to broadcasting in Sierra Leone. Unpublished Masters Thesis. University of Leeds, UK.
- Taylor, D. and Nwosu, P. (2001) ‘Afrocentric empiricism. A model for communication research in Africa’. In Milhouse, V., Asante, M., and Nwosu, P. (eds). Transcultural realities. Interdisciplinary perspectives on cross- cultural relations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Pp. 299–311.
- Ugboajah, Frank (1985) ‘Oramedia’ in Africa. In F.O. Ugboajah (ed) Mass communication, culture, and society in West Africa (pp.165–186). London: Hans Zell Publishers.
- Ugboajah, Frank (1985) Mass communication, culture and society in West Africa, London: Hans Zell Publishers.
- World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) (2003) The Geneva Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action. Geneva: World Summit on Information Society Executive Secretariat. Africa
References
Alali, Andy (1995) ‘Communication infrastructure for development in Nigeria.’ In Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp.291–304.
Ansu-Kyeremeh, K. (1997) Communication, Education and Development: Exploring an African Cultural Setting. Accra: Ghana Universities Press.
Ansu-Kyeremeh, K. (2005) Indigenous communication in Africa: a conceptual framework. In K.
Ansu-Kyeremeh (ed.) Indigenous Communication in Africa: Concept, Application and Prospects. Accra: Ghana Universities Press. Pp.15– 25.
Asante, M., Newman, V., and Blake, C. (Eds.) (1979) Handbook of intercultural communication.
Beverly Hills, CA: Sage Publications Awa, Njoku (1995) ‘The role of indigenous media in African social development’. In Nwosu, P. Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp. 237–251.
Awa. Njoku E. (2005) ‘Combining modern and traditional media forms in promoting development
objectives in Africa’. In K. Ansu-Kyeremeh (ed.) Indigenous Communication in Africa: Concept, Application and Prospects. Accra: Ghana Universities Press. Pp. 220–228.
Blake, C. (1993) ‘Traditional African values and the right to communicate’. Africa Media Review, Vol 7 (3) 201–216.
Blake, C. (1979) ‘Communication research and African national development: Some challenges for communication specialists’. Journal of Black Studies 10(2), 218–230.
Boafo, Kwame S. T. and Wete, Francis (2002) Communication training in Africa: Model curricula.
Paris: UNESCO (pp. 1–6). [See also L. Odiambo, S. T. Kwame-Boafo, A. Aznah, and C. Sy (2002), ‘Communication education and training in the 21st century: The African context (pp. 7–14). In Communication and Training in Africa: Model Curricula. Paris: UNESCO.]
Cronen, Vernon E (1998) ‘Communication theory for the twenty-first century: cleaning up the wreckage of the psychology project’. In J. Trent (Ed) Communication: Views from the helm for the 21st century (pp. 18–38). Needham Heights, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Cushman, Donald P (1998) ‘Visions of order in human communication theory’. In J. Trent (Ed) Communication: Views from the helm for the 21st century (pp. 8–13) Needham, MA: Allyn and Bacon.
Frey, L. Botan, C., Friedman, P. & Kreps, G. (1991). Investigating communication.
An introduction to research methods. Englewood Cliffs, NJ: Prentice Hall.
Lerner, Daniel (1958) The passing of traditional society. New York: The Free Press. McClelland, David (1961) The achieving society. Princeton, New Jersey: Van Nostrand Company.
Moemeka, Andrew A (2000) Development communication in action: Building understanding and creating participation. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America.
Mohammed, Jubril (1995). ‘Development Communication Training in Africa’. In Nwosu, P.,Onwumechili,
C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s
perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press.
Mukassa, Stanford (1995). ‘Towards a Pan African cooperation in satellite communication. An
analysis of the RASCOM Project’. In Nwosu, P. , Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp. 253–275.
Nordenstreng, Kaarle and Boafo, S.T. Kwame (1988). Promotion of Textbooks for the Training of
Journalists in Anglophone Africa. Budapest: Mass Communication Research Centre.
Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds.) (1995). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press.
Nwosu, P., Taylor, D., Mutua-Kombo, E. and Alali, A. (2003). ‘Panel on expanding communication Studies in African Universities’. 13th Biennial Conference, African Council for Communication Education, Abuja, Nigeria. Olorunnisola, Anthony (1995) ‘Communication technologies for development. The broadcast media’. In Nwosu, P. , Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds).
Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press. Pp. 277–290.
Opubor, A., (2004) ‘What my grandmother taught me about communication: perspective on African cultural values’, Africa Media Review, Vol 12 (1):43– 57.
Ozoh, Hilary (1995). ‘Media use patterns in Nigeria’. In Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press.
Schramm, W. (1964) Mass media and national development. Stanford, CA: Stanford University Press.
Shopa-Mafole, Lyndell (2004) ‘Journalists and the information society in Africa’. Rhodes Journalism Review. South Africa, 11:17.
Taylor, Donald S. (2002) ‘Africa and the information age’. In Africanwatch. Sacramento: CA. February/March, 31–32.
Taylor, Donald (1995). ‘Audience activity and media use in Freetown, Sierra Leone. A uses and effects perspectives’. In Nwosu, P., Onwumechili, C. and M’Bayo, R. (eds). Communication and the transformation of society. A developing region’s perspective. Lanham, Maryland: University Press of America. Pp. 193–217.
Taylor, Donald S. (1991) ‘Application of the uses and dependency model of mass communication to development communication in the Western Area of Sierra Leone’. Unpublished doctoral dissertation, Kent State University, Kent, Ohio.
Taylor, D. S. (1981) The mass media and national development with reference to broadcasting in Sierra Leone. Unpublished Masters Thesis. University of Leeds, UK.
Taylor, D. and Nwosu, P. (2001) ‘Afrocentric empiricism. A model for communication research in Africa’. In Milhouse, V., Asante, M., and Nwosu, P. (eds). Transcultural realities. Interdisciplinary perspectives on cross- cultural relations. Thousand Oaks, CA: Sage, Pp. 299–311.
Ugboajah, Frank (1985) ‘Oramedia’ in Africa. In F.O. Ugboajah (ed) Mass communication, culture, and society in West Africa (pp.165–186). London: Hans Zell Publishers.
Ugboajah, Frank (1985) Mass communication, culture and society in West Africa, London: Hans Zell Publishers.
World Summit on the Information Society (WSIS) (2003) The Geneva Declaration of Principles and Plan of Action. Geneva: World Summit on Information Society Executive Secretariat. Africa