*CFP* "EDUCATION, COMMUNICATION AND DEMOCRACY IN SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA", EDITED VOLUME

We invite cutting-edge scholarly contributions reflecting innovative theoretical constructs, empirically based studies and other forms of critical scholarship for consideration of inclusion in an edited volume to be titled, Education, Communication and Democracy in Sub-Saharan Africa. This volume will contribute to the ongoing academic discourse about political perspectives on education in Africa, likely to be published by Routledge. This call for book chapters focuses on a timely research focusing on how educational encounters should develop communication values, attitudes and frameworks that may potentially and ultimately transform democratic citizenship in Sub-Saharan Africa.

Educational practices, policies and theories are arguably among the indispensable keys to solving the big challenges facing Africa in the social, political and economic domains. At the heart of such challenges is the lack of accountability of duty-bearers in African democracies particularly an accountability that is grounded in meaningful representation and participation of the people. Such unaccountability is both a result and cause of high levels of poverty and illiteracy among the general public. Given such a background context of inequalities, it is very difficult to achieve meaningful democracy whose minimum characteristic is that those entrusted with power are held accountable by those who have delegated the power, the majority of whom are in a state of disadvantaged-ness. The challenge that such a background poses on democratisation in much of Sub-Saharan Africa is that while democratic institutions have been established, their meaningful operation is compromised by the disempowered status of the majority. 

Educational institutions, however, remain one of the few potent sites for achieving the empowerment of the largely disempowered citizens in the context of equality. Educational institutions are the most ideal spaces that could develop, appreciate and employ models of democratic communication that value human equality, transcending the inequalities and power imbalances among the people. Learners will possess communication attitudes and models that can realize democratic deliberation and participation that is not restricted by inequalities and power imbalances. The expectation is that ultimately such frameworks of democratic communication in the education institution will result in citizens who engage in democratic deliberation that can realize accountability despite there being inequalities.

This book provides an international platform for multidisciplinary research that advances thinking and understanding of the complex intersections of education, communication and democracy, with the aim of pushing traditionally disciplinary boundaries through methodological and theoretical innovation. It will focus on the way education institutions as the site of encounters of power imbalances and social and economic inequalities are best placed to develop in learners as citizens, communication attitudes that enhance meaningful democracy that ultimately develops attitudes valuing communication that is grounded in moral respect, human equality and justice. It will explore if and how education today in Sub-Saharan Africa has embraced and integrated or ought to embrace and integrated models of communication and how they ultimately add value to democratic communication. The book will critically evaluate why and how, in their everyday routines, educational institutions in Sub Saharan Africa should endeavour for models of communication rooted in democratic values such as value for human equality despite diversities, mutual respect that transcends power imbalances, and respect for human dignity despite inequalities.

The chapter contributions can be made from a wide range of conceptual and philosophical approaches. However, each chapter must be soundly based in the theoretical underpinnings of the area under treatment. 

Newly completed empirical work will be encouraged, bringing new research-based insights into topics under consideration. Authors must bear in mind that the main focus of the book is on the profoundness of education institutions as a site for communication for transformative democracy in target regions of the Sub-Saharan Africa, and that they are expected to bring critical scholarly analysis to bear on new and traditional issues of education, communication and democracy in a development context.

We welcome papers using a variety of methods, particularly those bridging interdisciplinary gaps. Thinking-aloud pieces, debates and research that breaks new ground by making connections with other disciplines is highly encouraged. Among the themes or topics open for consideration as chapters are the following:

• Education for democratic communication 
• Democracy and education 
• Inclusive communication and education 
• Political culture and democratic communication 
• Academic freedom and transformative communication 
• Language, culture, education and democracy 
• Economics, communication for democracy 
• Media education and transformative communication 
• The legal and policy frameworks for democratic communication 
• Gender, education and democratic communication 
• Globalisation, education, and democratic communication 
• ICT, education and democracy 
• Popular culture, education and democratic communication

The editors of the book are Dr. Chikumbutso Manthalu, Dr. Victor Chikaipa and Dr. Anthony Gunde from the University of Malawi, Chancellor College. Chapter abstracts of 300 words as expressions of interest should be submitted to: Chikumbutso Manthalu at cmanthalu@cc.ac.mw copied to Victor Chikaipa at vchikaipa@cc.ac.mw, and Anthony Gunde at agunde@cc.ac.mw. Selected chapters must be 5,000 to 6,000 words including references, in APA style.

Important Dates

Abstracts submission deadline: November 1, 2019

Notifications of acceptance: November 8, 2019

First draft submission: February 10, 2020

Revised Manuscript Submission: March 11, 2020