[Commlist] Call for Proposals: Indigenous Language Media and Development Communication (Book Project)

*Book Project*

*Call for Proposals *_(NB: No payment from authors/APC will be required)_*:*

*Indigenous Language for Development and Social Change Communication in 
the Global South*


Since the 1970s, the active role and involvement of marginalised 
citizens in development and social change programmes at local, national, 
and in some instances, international levels, has sparked much interests 
from scholars around the globe (cf. Waisbord, 2008). At the heart of 
this scholarship is the need to coordinate active citizen participation 
in different aspects of development, which is a breakaway from the 
earlier top-down development agenda of the 1940s- which placed emphasis 
on the Marshall plan of economic growth (i.e. Modernisation), where 
beneficiaries of development played little or no role in decision-making 
processes involving them (cf. Melkote & Steeves, 2015; Manyozo, 2008). 
Through participatory communication- which was influenced by Paulo 
Freire’s work on dialogical praxis, liberation pedagogy, and 
conscientisation as part of his classical treatise: /“Pedagogy of the 
oppressed” /(cf. Molale, 2021), scholars around the global south, 
largely from Latin America, began exploring ways in which different 
theories, frameworks and models can be established to facilitate and 
enhance meaningful and sustainable transformation in the quality of life 
for local citizens through their active involvement in development 
processes (cf. Manyozo, 2012).

The alternative paradigm that emerged was geared toward the 
popularisation of the development and design of campaign messages, that 
are supposed to be culturally sensitive, */language specific/* (emphasis 
intended) and in tune with the social realities of the people of the 
developing world (cf. Salawu, 2015; Nwuneli, 1993; Uribe-Jongbloed, 
2013). The language in which a development message is disseminated is a 
very important aspect of the massage treatment. It is posited that the 
indigenous language of any community is best suited for the purpose of 
conveying any message, whatsoever, to the said community (cf. Salawu, 
2015; Nwuneli, 1985: 203). Indigenous Language Media, as it is still the 
case presently, played a vital role in facilitating “voices from the 
margins” through alternative “bottom-up” participation and communication 
platforms such as community radio and newspapers, theatre and 
traditional communication platforms such as song, dance, and folk media 
(cf. Kamlongera, 2005; Mlama, 2002; Alia, 2010); as well as the use of 
digital/social media for the coordination and sustenance of social 
movements (cf. Tufte, 2017). However, it has been recently discovered 
that there are instances where indigenous language media have been used 
to further the interests of development managers/bureaucrats at the 
expense of marginal voices, through an information transfer mechanism 
where the local citizens are passive recipients of messages from the 
top-down (cf. Molale, Ogunsanya, Leketenyane & Asak, /in press./) or 
where the English language has been used in indigenous community media 
platform as a /lingua franca /(cf. Molale & Mpofu, 2021) to further 
marginalise local knowledge and languages.

In light of the foregoing, it is pertinent to ask to what extent 
indigenous language media can offer space and platform for resistance, 
and coordination of an empowered and active citizen voice from below- as 
a way of advancing genuine development and social change.

In trying to answer this question, scholars from around the world are 
invited to submit proposals aimed at exploring the following different 
themes:

  * Indigenous Language Television and Radio Programming for Development
    and Social Change
  * Indigenous Language Media and Health Communication
  * The role of Indigenous Language Community Media in Agricultural and
    Sustainable Resource Management (i.e. Food Security and Climate Change)
  * Indigenous Language Media/Communication and the Environment
  * The role of Indigenous Language Media in promoting Childcare, Youth
    and Gender Empowerment.
  * Indigenous Language Community Media and the Participation of People
    with Disabilities.
  * The role of Indigenous Language Media in deepening Democracy
  * Indigenous Language Media and Literacy
  * Impact of Indigenous Language Media reporting on Rural Societies
  * The use of Social Media by Indigenous Language Media outlets for an
    engaged Mass Audience.
  * The use of Indigenous Language Media in Mass Mobilisation and Social
    Movement Formation.
  * Indigenous Language Media, Protest and Resistance
  * Indigenous Language Media/Communication, Peace and Conflict

*The above themes are by no means exhaustive.*

Submission details:

Interested contributors are invited to submit a 500-word proposal and a 
short biography to Dr Tshepang Bright Molale (North-West University, 
South Africa) at (devcoms123 /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(devcoms123 /at/ gmail.com)> and 
*cc* to (tmolaleb09 /at/ gmail.com) <mailto:(tmolaleb09 /at/ gmail.com)>.  The 
deadline for abstract submission is *May 23, 2021*. Notification of 
acceptance or rejection will be made by *June 6, 2021*. Final chapters 
of approximately 5000-7000 words will be due on *December 6, 2021*. 
Please note that all submissions will undergo a rigorous blind 
peer-review process. *No payment from authors/APC will be required.*

Book Editors:

Abiodun Salawu

Bright Molale

Enrique Uribe-Jongbloed

Ullah Sahid


*References*

Alia, V. 2010. The new media nation: Indigenous Peoples and Global 
Communication. Berghahn books.


Kamlongera, C. 2005. Theatre for Development in Africa (/in /Hemer, O., 
& Tufte, T. /eds/. /Media & Glocal Change: Rethinking Communication for 
Development./ Buenos Aires: CLASCO. p. 435-452).


Manyozo, L.P. 2008. Communication for Development: An Historical 
Overview. Reports prepared for UNESCO on the occasion of the 
International Association of Media and Communication Research (IAMCR). 
Media, Communication, Information: Celebrating 50 Years of Theories and 
Practice, Paris, France, 23-25 July 2007.


Manyozo, L. 2012. /Media, Communication and Development: Three 
Approaches/. New Delhi: Sage Publications India Pvt Ltd.


Melkote, S.R., Steeves, H.L. 2015/. Communication for Development: 
Theory and Practice for Empowerment and Social Change,/ 3rd ed. New 
Delhi: Sage.


Mlama, P. 2002. Popular Theatre and Development- Challenges from the 
Future: The Tanzanian Experience. /Contemporary Theatre Review/, 
12(1+2), 45-58. DOI: 10.1080/10486800208568651.


Molale, T.B. & Mpofu, P. 2020. Making sense of /Mmega Dikgang’s/ Shift 
from Setswana to English. (/in /Salawu, A. /ed. African Language Media: 
Development, Economics and Management/. New York: Routledge, pp.74-89).


Molale, T., Ogunsanya, A., Leketanyane, P., & Asak, M. 2021? 
Deconstructing the Participation of Rural Dwellers in a Community Radio 
Station: A Participatory Development Communication Approach to a Radio 
Station in the North West Province, South Africa. (/in /Chiumbu, S., & 
Motsaathebe, G. /eds. //Radio, Public Life, and Citizen Deliberation in 
South Africa/, Routledge) (In press).


Molale, T.B. 2021. A framework for participatory communication in the 
IDP context of Ward 31 in Rustenburg Local Municipality. Potchefstroom: 
NWU. (Thesis- PhD).


Nwuneli, O. 1993. Communication and Development: International 
Perspectives. Paper presented at a Conference on making the Media work 
for Southern Africa Development. Rhodes University, Ghramstown, South 
Africa.


Nwuneli, O. 1985. Communication and Social Development in Nigeria. In O. 
Nwuneli (Ed.) /Mass Communication in Nigeria: A Book of Reading/ [sic]. 
Enugu: Fourth Dimension Publishing Co. Ltd. Pp. 185 – 210.


Salawu, A. 2015. Language, Culture, Media and Development: A Nexus of 
Harmony. Professorial inaugural lecture. North-West University, Mafikeng 
Campus, South Africa. August 20.


Tufte, T. 2017. /Communication and Social Change: A citizen’s 
perspective/. Cambridge: Polity Press.


Uribe-Jongbloed, E. 2013. Minority language media studies and 
communication for social change: Dialogue between Europe and Latin 
America. /In/ Jones, E.H.G. & Uribe-Jongbloed, E. /eds.//Social Media 
and Minority Languages: Convergence and the Creative Industries/. 
Bristol, UK: Multilingual Matters.

Waisbord, S. 2008. The institutional challenges of participatory 
communication in international aid. /Social Identities, /14(4), 505-522. 
DOI: 10.1080/13504630802212009.


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