In the 1990s, aspiring PhD students were encouraged not to choose ‘development communication’ as their subject of research (I know of at least two cases. Both students eventually became prominent scholars in the field anyway). The general assumption back then was that development communication -or ComDev, as usually referred to at Malmö University- had passed its zenith sometime in the ‘70s and become obsolete, just like everything else associated with ‘development’ and ‘the third world’.  

In that context, the timing might have seemed awkward when plans for the ComDev Master were started in Malmö in 1999. In our view, however, the moment was perfect for a radical revision. The first Master course started in 2000. Today the tenth course is in progress, more than a hundred students from all over the world have graduated from the program, and next year we will celebrate our 10th anniversary. This is in many ways a success story, and Glocal Times is part of it, but the purpose of this editorial is neither to boast nor to brag. It would be a mistake to settle down and be happy with what we have achieved, because the challenge is still out there. In spite of an apparent rise in interest in media and communication within development cooperation that achieved a symbolic peak in the Rome WCCD in 2006, momentum might be lost: communication is not even prioritized as a means to achieve the Millennium Goals.  

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Over time, academic attention to “communication for social change” has begun to eclipse “development communication”. The gradual shift in rhetoric is not linear, and may not represent an actual shift in practice or within the development industry led by bilateral and multilateral donors. However, it has achieved enough attention to warrant critical reflection...  Read more

Economic incentives and the participation of communities can both be powerful drivers of successful innovation and expansion. This article explores a sample of “best cases” applying innovative technologies to solve urgent problems and looks into how the communication of innovative ideas for development could be fostered in order to make solutions available to those who need and might use them...  Read more

The Warwick Junction precinct, in Central Durban, is a major transportation hub: 560.000 people, most of them poor, pass through it daily. There, the Early Morning Market offers ingredients for a basic meal for a family of five for as little as ZAR 15 (USD 2). When late in 2008 the city of Durban announced its plan to replace the Market with a western-style privately owned shopping mall, the proposed re-development came as..  Read more

InsightShare, a UK-based social enterprise, works with participatory video as a methodology to enable and include everyone to share knowledge and stories. Its methodology is based on collective action, learning from doing and gaining the ability to shape a common future. Usual “side effects” include having fun and building solidarity...  Read more

In order for Pakistan to make a successful transition to democracy, media must be able to perform its role as a watchdog, is the conclusion of a report from International Media Support...  Read more