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Principles and Theories of DevCom

The document outlines development paradigms and models, including the modernization paradigm, dependency theory, and participatory approach. It defines development communication as the application of communication principles to transform countries from poverty to prosperity. The goals of development communication are to improve quality of life through social and economic change. Key principles discussed include dialogue, inclusion, participation, analysis, and persuasion. The document also examines levels of participation and common misconceptions regarding development communication.

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Sol Virtudazo
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963 views26 pages

Principles and Theories of DevCom

The document outlines development paradigms and models, including the modernization paradigm, dependency theory, and participatory approach. It defines development communication as the application of communication principles to transform countries from poverty to prosperity. The goals of development communication are to improve quality of life through social and economic change. Key principles discussed include dialogue, inclusion, participation, analysis, and persuasion. The document also examines levels of participation and common misconceptions regarding development communication.

Uploaded by

Sol Virtudazo
Copyright
© © All Rights Reserved
We take content rights seriously. If you suspect this is your content, claim it here.
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Download as PPT, PDF, TXT or read online on Scribd
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Principles and Theories of

Development Communication
By: Ma. Solita J. Virtudazo
Ph.D. (Com Dev) Student
Presentation Outline
I. Development Paradigms and Models
II. Definition, Roles of Development
Communication (Dev Com)
III. Philosophy and Goal of Dev Com
IV. Principles of Dev Com
V. Levels of Participation in Communication
VI. Key Issues of Dev Com
Development Paradigms & Models
1. Modernization: The Dominant Paradigm
(DP)
- Dominant paradigm rooted in the concept of
 development as modernization, post WW II.
- Central idea was to solve development problems by
"modernizing" underdeveloped countries.
- Advised society how to be effective in following in the
footsteps of richer, more developed countries.
- Development was equated with economic growth.  
Development Paradigms & Models
1. Modernization: The DominantParadigm (DP)
- Communication was associated with info/message
dissemination aimed at modernizing “backward”
countries and their people.   
- MM were at the center of communication initiatives,
relied heavily on traditional, 1-way model: SMCR.
- Widely criticized paradigm of  modernization has been
in part abandoned—and a new paradigm has yet to be
fully embraced.
Development Paradigms & Models
2. The Opposing Paradigm: Dependency
- Strong opposition to the modernization paradigm in the
1960s led to the emergence of an alternative theoretical
model based on the dependency theory.   
- Rooted in a political-economic perspective, it
criticized some of the core assumptions of the
modernization paradigm, e.g., neglecting social,
historical, and economic factors .
Development Paradigms & Models
2. The Opposing Paradigm: Dependency
- Accused the DP of being very Western-centric,
refusing or neglecting alternative route to development.   
- Dependency theorists emphasized the importance of
the link between communication and culture.
- Demands  more balanced and equitable exchange of
communication, information, and cultural programs
among rich and poor countries.
- Gained significance in 1970s, started to lose
relevance in 1980s
Development Paradigms & Models
3. The Emerging Paradigm: Participation
- This approach  adopted in the 1990s by the United
Nations and other development organizations as key
challenges to be addressed successfully. 
- Common features of this perspective are the emphasis
on people, the endogenous vision of development, and the
attention to power and rights issues.   
- Require a shift in the way individuals are considered,
from passive recipients to active agents of development
efforts
Development Paradigms & Models
3. The Emerging Paradigm: Participation
- This Participatory paradigm is less oriented to political-
economic dimension, more rooted in cultural realities of
development.   
- The development focus has shifted from economic
growth and includes other social dimensions needed to
ensure meaningful results in the long run.
- Participation is increasingly recognized as necessary
part of sustainable development strategies.
Dev Com: Definition, Roles
Development Communication has been defined in various
ways; the terminology originated in Asia; the definitions
vary from region to region, depending on the definer’s
point of view.
Nora Quebral (1975) defined Dev Com as the art
and science of human communication applied to the speedy
transformation of a country from poverty to a dynamic state
of economic growth and makes possible greater economic
and social equality and the larger fulfillment of human
potential.
Dev Com: Definition, Roles
Development Communication is…
- Communication with a social conscience   
- It is associated with rural problems, urban problems,
and takes humans into account.
- It has 2 primary roles:
1) transforming, as it seeks social change in the
direction of higher utility of values of society (seeks to
create an atmosphere of change); and
2) providing innovations through which society may
change.
Dev Com: Philosophy and Goal
Three main ideas define the Dev Com philosophy and
make it different from general communication:
1.     Dev Com is purposive communication, value-laden, and
pragmatic(dealing with things sensibly and realistically in a way
that is based on practical);
2.     Dev Com is goal-oriented. It’s ultimate goal is higher quality
of life for people of a society by social and political change;
3.    The goal of Dev Com does not only consider economic but
also in terms of social, political, cultural, and moral
values that make a person's life whole, and enable a person to
attain his/her full potential. 
Basic Principles of Dev Com
1. Dialogic —Dialog is the heart of the new communication
paradigm.  Development communication should foster
dialog to facilitate mutual under­standing, to assess the
situation, and to seek wider consensus. Professionally
directed dialog is an invaluable research tool and is geared
to build trust, optimize knowledge, minimize risks, and
reconcile different positions. 
Basic Principles of Dev Com
2. Inclusive—This methodological frame work might focus
only on selected groups of stakeholders. Omitting a group
on a basis that might not seem relevant can cause
problems;

Two-way communication should always pay special


attention to groups that are marginalized or at a
disadvantage in society. Gender issues are always a
primary concern in this context, as well as issues related to
the poor, or any other vulnerable group;
Basic Principles of Dev Com
3. Heuristic— The heuristic and explorative scope of
development communication, strengthened by its analytical
and dialogic features, constitutes its main value-added in
addressing and rectifying the past fail­ures in development;
4. Analytical—It conclude large amount of its work, such as the
assessment of political risks and opportunities, the
effectiveness of diffusion and dissemination activ­ities  and it
we know how effectively people are empowered to voice their
perceptions and opinions;
5. Participatory— Only genuine communication can facilitate
effective participation, and there are  different types of
participation; 
Levels of Participation and Communication
Participation Level Basic Features related to
Communication
1. Information Sharing One-way communication—basically, people are
included by informing them about what is being done.

2. Consultation Primarily one-way communication with a stronger


emphasis on feedback—stakeholders provide their input
but do not have a significant say in the decision-making
process.
3. Collaboration Two-way communication supporting open interaction in
decision making—input in decision making is balanced.

4. Empowerment Transfer of control over decisions and resources—two‑


way communication ensures shared decision making.
Basic Principles of Dev Com
6. Interdisciplinary—A development communication body of
knowledge includes a number of principles borrowed from other
disciplines such as ethnography, sociology, political economy,
adult education, and marketing;

7. Strategic—The principle of strategy emphasizes the


professional and timely application of communication techniques
and methods to achieve intended objectives;
Basic Principles of Dev Com
8. Persuasive— In development communication, persuasion can
be used to induce voluntary changes in individuals. Persuasion
should be based on accurate infor­mation and within a context of
two-way communication.
Key Issues About Dev Com
Some of the myths and misconceptions about communication which can
often be the cause of misunderstandings and lead to inconsistent and
ineffective use of communication concepts and practices.

1. "Communications" and "communication" are not the same thing. 


The plural form refers mainly to activities and products, including
information technologies, media products, and services (the Internet,
satellites, broadcasts, and so forth). The singular form, on the other hand,
usually refers to the process of communication, emphasizing its dialogical
and analytical functions rather than its informative nature and media
products. This distinction is significant at the theoretical, methodological,
and operational levels.
Key Issues About Dev Com
2. There is a sharp difference between everyday
communication and professional communication.  

A person who communicates well is not necessarily a


person who can make effective and professional use of
communication. Each professional (development)
communication specialist understands relevant theories
and practices and is capable of designing effective
strategies that draw from the full range of communication
approaches and methods to achieve intended objectives.
Key Issues About Dev Com

4. The main scope and functions of development


communication are not exclusively about communicating
information and messages, but they also involve engaging
stakeholders and assessing the situation.  

Currently, the scope of development communication has


broadened to include an analytical aspect as well as a
dialogical one—intended to open public spaces where
perceptions, opinions, and knowledge of relevant
stakeholders .
Key Issues About Dev Com
4. Development communication initiatives can never be successful
unless proper communication research is conducted before deciding
on the strategy.

5. To be effective in their work, development communication specialists


need to have a specific and in-depth knowledge of the theory and
practical applications of the discipline. 
In addition to being familiar with the relevant literature about the
various communication theories, models, and applications,
development com­munication specialists should also be educated in
the basic principles and prac­tices of other interrelated disciplines, such
as anthropology, marketing, sociology, ethnography, psychology, adult
education, and social research.
Key Issues About Dev Com

6. Development communication Objectives design. 

Even the most well-designed communication strategy will


fail if the overall objec­tives of the project are not properly
determined, if they do not enjoy a broad consensus from
stakeholders, or if the activities are not implemented in a
satisfactory manner. In such cases, the basic foundations
of development communication are neglected, and the
results are usually disappointing, especially over the long
term.
Key Issues About Dev Com
7. Media and information technologies are not the backbone
of development communication.
 
Media and information technologies are part of
development communication, and they are important and
useful means to support development. Their impact is
greatly affected by the communication work done in the
research phase. Past experience indicates that unless
such instruments are used in connection with other
approaches and based on proper research, they seldom
deliver the intended results.
Key Issues About Dev Com
8. Participatory approaches and participatory communication approaches are not
the same thing . 
Participatory approaches and participatory communication approaches are not
the same thing  and should not be used interchangeably, but they can be used
together, as their functions are often complementary, especially during the
research phase. Even if there are some similarities between the two types of
approaches, identify communication entry points, and map out the information
and communication systems that can be used later to design and implement
the communication strategy. Instead, these are all key activities carried out in a
participatory communication assessment.
References
Macfalopulos, P. Development Communication Sourcebook
https://wecommunication.blogspot.com/2015/02/basic-
principles-of-development.html
http://www.ghwatch.org/sites/www.ghwatch.org/files/a.pdf
http://lalhmachhuana.tripod.com/mediaeffectstheory/emerge
nce-of-alternative-paradigms-of-development-
communication.html

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