[FoME] CFA: Communicating Development / Mediating Social Change

[Christoph Dietz]

Development in Practice - Special Issue

Guest Editors:

Dr. Linje Manyozo (RMIT University) - Linje.Manyozo at RMIT.edu.au
Prof. Robin Mansell (London School of Economics)

Theme: Communicating Development / Mediating Social Change

Context: In the aftermath of the 2008 Financial Crash, a group of
students at the University of Manchester calling themselves the
Post-Crash Economics Society called for a radical rethink of the
teaching of economics, specifically, and the social sciences, generally.
They argued that alternative theories, practices and reflections are
needed to provide an intellectual antidote to mainstream and classical
theories and approaches. This includes the theory and practice of
development. This special issue of Development in Practice will include
papers offering a radical rethink of the theory, practice and pedagogy
of communication for development. The aim is to rescue the discourses
and approaches from westernization, theoretical elitism, and the
‘developmentalism’ of dominant organizations and institutions. This
is in line with celebrating the ‘ethnography of development’ (Mosse
2005; Escobar 1995) and offering pathways for capturing and celebrating
subaltern and periphery experiences and theoretical frameworks.

Since the 1940s when expansive development interventions were launched
the world over in the aftermath of WWII, concerns have been raised by
scholars, practitioners and community members about the involvement of
local people and communities in imagining, conceiving and implementing
development interventions that meet their needs. The theory and practice
of communication for development emerged within this context, initially,
as a trajectory for communicating knowledge products from research
institutes to end users, and then as a participatory process of engaging
groups and institutions in designing and implementing realistic,
sustainable and effective development interventions. Communication for
development is no longer about informing people about their development
needs. It is about producing development together, about deliberative
development premised upon relational processes rather than the
acceptance of skewed power dynamics, and about communicating development
and the mediation of social change.

Focus: For this special issue, we are soliciting papers that
acknowledge that development theory, practice and training can be opened
up to critical communication thinking, and especially to cultural
theory. This is because the implementation of interventions is
increasingly being mediated by communication and knowledge facilities,
including digital technologies. It is inconceivable to think of everyday
relations and practices, including development theory and practice,
without considering the role of the media and communication tools and
organisations. This special issue welcomes papers that interrogate how
media and communications are shaping the construction of the discursive
imaginary of development, and how the changing practice of development,
itself, is shaping the mediation processes. It also welcomes papers that
address the political economy of communicative spaces and actions. This
is imperative in order to break down barriers of access and
participation so that the majority of citizens can contest the
production of power relations in ways that can shape deliberative
development. The success of development interventions is influenced by
factors such as access to and control of the media and digital
technology as well as by gender, literacy or class. International
development organisations also play a major role in shaping the agenda
of development and social change, giving rise to concerns about whose
development they are really interested in. This raises issues as to
whether the western-centric, technologically-deterministic and capital
intensive, modernist model of development will continue to be applied in
ways that widen the gap between centre and periphery, or whether, as
Escobar (1995) observes, it is time to discard development as a
discursive imaginary.

Theoretical engagement: Contributing authors will be encouraged to
reflect theoretically on the field of communication for development and
to examine how various financial, social and political factors challenge
the way development, citizenship, empowerment and social change are
treated in the area of practice or policy which they address. Papers
will offer critical perspectives on why communicative spaces are
fundamental to the policy and practice of development and on how factors
such as gender, class or ethnicity should be considered in development
dialogues. They will also be encouraged to assess the debates that shape
the communication of development discourse, especially efforts to
de-westernise communication for development theory, training and
practice. This may include considerations of other ways of knowing and
theorising the world, investment and business thinking, social and
behaviour change perspectives
in the communications field, the political economy of communication
policy, or issues arising with Chinese investment in development
cooperation, trade and tax policies.

Papers should address one or both of two key themes:

Theme 1: Communicating development in practice

Papers may be informed by case studies and will reflect on development
in practice. In addition to a theoretical contextualization, an emphasis
on history, lessons learned and opportunities for the future will be
welcome. Topics may address, but are not restricted to, ICTs for
development, information intervention, NGOs and agenda setting,
humanitarian and crisis communication, climate change communication, and
media development.

Theme 2: Discourse and Practice in Formal Policy for Development

Papers are encouraged that address the role of prominent development
agencies – international, regional or national – in perpetuating
dominant discourses and modes of encouraging local participation,
especially where social media and mobile phones play a role in
supporting services aimed at
poverty alleviation.  Papers should be located in the relevant
literatures that critique policy making discourse and practice. 

Expressions of Interest

Abstracts in English (500 words) should be submitted by email by 28
February 2017. Abstracts should describe the proposed paper in as much
detail as is necessary to give an idea of the contribution.  It should
include a clear statement of the objective(s) of the paper; where
appropriate, a description of the method(s), a short explanation about
why the research is novel and a summary of the argument/results. You may
submit a full paper if you wish.

You will be notified by 17 March 2017 about whether we encourage you to
submit a full paper if you have submitted an abstract (maximum length
6,500 words excluding tables and captions) or whether we invite you to
strengthen a paper you have submitted.  If we encourage you to submit a
full paper,
this does not guarantee acceptance.  Papers will be refereed by the
special issue editors and by a referee selected by Development and
Practice.

Deadline for submitting final papers: 16 June 2017. See Instructions
for Authors for details on preparing your manuscript,
http://www.tandfonline.com/toc/cdip20/current. You will be notified when
the refereeing process is completed. If your paper is accepted, accepted
with minor or major revisions, or rejected, you will receive referees
comments and, in the case of revisions, guidance from the special issue
editors about how to strengthen your paper. You are encouraged to
contact the special issue editors for advice on how to approach your
contribution.

Development in Practice offers practice-based analysis and research
relating to development and humanitarianism providing a worldwide forum
for the exchange of ideas and experiences among practitioners, scholars,
policy shapers, and activists. By challenging current assumptions, and
by active editorial engagement with issues of diversity and social
justice, the journal seeks to stimulate new thinking and ways of
working.

Contact:

Linje Manyozo: Linje.Manyozo at RMIT.edu.au is the single email point of
contact, but your submissions will be seen and reviewed by both special
issue editors.

References:

Escobar, A. 1995. Encountering Development: The Making and Unmaking of
the Third World. Princeton NJ: Princeton University Press.

Mosse, D. 2005. Cultivating Development: An Ethnography of Aid Policy
and Practice. London: Pluto Press.
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