Abstract
Development communication, in various guises and carrying a variety of names, has been the springboard for much theory formation, field work, and academic discussion and research since the 1960s, termed the “development decade.” This paper traces the history of devcom from my perspective and participation since 1964. Highlighted are the setting-the-stage efforts of organizations such as Press Institute of the Philippines, Press Foundation of Asia, UNESCO, and Non Aligned Movement and the causes they, and by extension, I espoused: communication oriented for the masses, two-way flow of information, appropriate, affordable, and sustainable technology, freedom and autonomy to conduct research and speak openly, and relevant research theories and methods more accommodating to the customs, conditions, and needs of specific (not universal) people. Also covered in this paper are the reactions to some of the projects meant to stimulate social change and suggestions for the reinvigoration of devcom, not belittling thinking of old concerning participatory communication, use of economic and communication ideas as if people mattered, and other ideas, nor exalting new technology beyond its capabilities, but, instead, to draw from all sides the attributes most useful for the betterment of the masses.
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Notes
- 1.
There was speculation that PFA received funding from an agency affiliated with the U. S. surveillance program, which might have blighted its name.
- 2.
- 3.
In another article, Nordenstreng mentioned that only my paper was sent to and used by NAM.
- 4.
As was expected, major US mass communication journals were not receptive to manuscripts critical of the “established” ways of doing research in the 1970s and long afterward. Scholar Dallas W. Smythe told me that his pioneering political economy articles were rejected by the mainstream journals; I anticipated the same situation and sent my critical writings to more favorable periodicals, such as Vidura (India), Democratic Journalist (Czechoslovakia), Communicare (South Africa), or Zeszyty Prasovnawcze (Poland).
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Lent, J.A. (2021). A Personal Account of the History of Devcom: Beginning in 1964. In: Servaes, J. (eds) Learning from Communicators in Social Change. Communication, Culture and Change in Asia, vol 7. Springer, Singapore. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-15-8281-3_3
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