*CFP* "INDIGENOUS LANGUAGE MEDIA AND DEVELOPMENT COMMUNICATION", BOOK PROJECT CHAPTER

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@gmail.com and cc to tmolaleb09@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