Towards a theory of communication for Africa: The challenges for emerging democracies

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Date

2011-04-11

Journal Title

Journal ISSN

Volume Title

Publisher

Communicatio: South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research

Abstract

While the scholarship on communication theory has evolved over many years in Africa it is still work in progress. This discourse has been anchored in society’s cultural milieu. The import of this is that the debate has evolved without incorporating the realities of Africa. Consequently, theories of communication and of the mass media are an ill fit on the continent. As communication scholarship in Africa matures, it requires examining how the realities of the continent can contribute to the development of a theory that best matches this environment. Some of these realities include the evolution of African governance, its culture, and the progression of communication as a discipline. While this article does not make the leap to propose what such a theory would look like, it seeks to raise some of these realities as a starting point for further discussion

Description

Journal Article

Keywords

African communication theory, Kenya, Mazrui, Media for Africa, Kenyan media, Ubuntu

Citation

Levi Obonyo (2011) Towards a theory of communication for Africa: The challenges for emerging democracies, Communicatio: South African Journal for Communication Theory and Research, 37:1, 1-20, DOI: 10.1080/02500167.2011.563822

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