Communicating for Development Reflections on the theory and practice of articulating development and social change through communication By Thomas Tufte, Professor Roskilde University Dept. of Communication, Business and Information Technologies (CBIT) Presentation given to the Delegation from the Vietnamese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), May

Introduction  Introducing communication for development and social change  The role of science in communicating for development  Examples

Communication for Development  ’a social process based on dialogue using a broad range of tools and methods. It is also about seeking change a different levels including listening, building trust, sharing knowledge and skills, building policies, debating and learning for sustained and meaningful change. It is not public relations or corporate communication’ (WCCD, 2007: 211)

Communication for Social Change  ‘CFSC is a process of public and private dialogue through which people themselves define who they are, what they need and how to get what they need in order to improve their own lives. It utilizes dialogue that leads to collective problem identification, decision making and community-based implementation of solutions to development issues’ (

Diffusion model Definition of communication: information transfer – vertical Definition of development communication: information dissemination via mass media   Problem: lack of information   Solution: information transfer: knowledge » attitudes » practice   Goal: outcome oriented: behavior change Frameworks Types of interventions   Modernization Social marketing   Diffusion of innovations Entertainment-education

Participatory model Definition of communication: information exchange/dialogue – horizontal Definition of development communication: grassroots participation via group interaction   Problem: structural inequalities/local knowledge ignored   Solution: information exchange/participation   Goal: process-oriented: empowerment, equity, community Frameworks Types of interventions   Social change/praxis (Freire) Empowerment education   Social mobilization/activism Participatory Action Research (PAR)   Rapid Participatory Appraisal (RPA)   Community Involvement in Health (CIH)

Role of science, knowledge and scientists  Fundamental ingredient(s) in ComDev and CFSC  Key challenges: –How to incorporate science, etc into ComDev and CFSC initiatives –Languages, genres, formats, channels

Examples  Rural Comunication: VERY expert based…From the Archers and onwards…  Health Communication (From nutrition and vacination to complex HIV/AIDS communication). Anti- smoking campaigns: what made the difference??  Climate Change: SUNRISE.

Conclusion  Often: to much focus on efficiency, target audiences, channels of communication which all is based on a particular comm theory: diffusion of innovations  What often is lacking: spaces for dialogue, ability to listen, challenges in creation of empathy, and lack of participatory comm strategies.  Challenge: get scientists to become catalysts of change rather than experts practicing top-down communication with unknown impact.