Advance Search

Participations: Rethinking South African universities’ development-oriented community engagement

Rethinking South African universities’ development-oriented community engagement

Mariekie Burger
University of Johannesburg
Keywords:
Copyright and Licensing:
Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Share:

How to Cite

Participations: Rethinking South African universities’ development-oriented community engagement. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 36(2), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v36i2.1560
Crossref
Scopus
Google Scholar
Europe PMC
  • Articles
  • Submited: October 10, 2022
  • Published: October 13, 2022

Abstract

Currently the dominant form of universities development oriented community engagement is based
on an institutional project-based theoretical framework. This framework has been criticised in the
scholarly discipline of Development Communication and Social Change for being diffusion-based
in nature, for its rigid linearity and subsequent hierarchically unequal power relationships, and for
its uncritical validation of a particular form of knowledge. Against the background of this critique,
paired with the current pronounced global awareness regarding the role of public universities in
society, this conceptual article critically investigates a range of options for development-oriented
community engagement by South African public universities. These options are based on different
theoretical frameworks that already exist in the field of Development Communication and Social
Change, namely: modernisation; dependency disassociation and social movements; Freirean
dialogical pedagogy; UNESCO’s media system approach (that foregrounds access, participation
and self-management); and participatory communication for development and social change. In
so doing, the article suggests that universities should critically consider the following aspects when
embarking on development-oriented community engagement: 1) evaluate the main assumptions
of the framework, 2) consider the complex interplay between internal and external factors that
cause problems of development, 3) consider the epistemology of knowledge, 4) reflect on the
purpose and nature of community participation, and 5) consider aspects related to expressions
of voice and identity in the public sphere instead of focusing only on measurable and material
aspects as outcomes.

pdf
pdf

Article Metrics Graph

Article Views | PDF Downloads
Chart Graph | Range Graph

References

  1. Al-Zoubi, M. S. & Rahman, M. S. B. A. (2014). The role of governmental and non-governmental institutions and associations on women's empowerment in Najran, KSA. Journal of Humanities and Social Science, 19(3) Version 1 (March): 93-100.
  2. https://doi.org/10.9790/0837-193193100
  3. Appadurai, A. (1996). Modernity at large: Cultural dimensions of globalization. Minneapolis: University of Minneapolis Press.
  4. Arnstein, S. R. (1969). A ladder of citizen participation. JAIP (Journal of American Institute of Planners), 35(4), July: 216-224.
  5. https://doi.org/10.1080/01944366908977225
  6. Ascroft, J. & Masilela, S. (2006). Participatory decision making in Third World development: Participatory communication working for change and development. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  7. Barber, M., Donnelly, K. & Rizvi, S. (2013). An avalanche is coming: Higher education and the revolution ahead. London: Institute for Public Policy Research
  8. Baum, F., MacDougall, C. & Smith, D. (2006). Participatory action research. Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health, October 60(10): 854-857.
  9. https://doi.org/10.1136/jech.2004.028662
  10. Biko, S. (1987). I write what I like. Oxford: Heinemann.
  11. Bordenave, J. D. (2006). Participation. Excerpt from: Participative communication as part of building the participative society. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC. p. 426.
  12. Bourdieu, P. (1986). The forms of capital. In J. Richardson (ed.), Handbook of theory and research for the sociology of education. New York: Greenwood. pp. 241-258.
  13. Cambridge, V. (2007). Milestones in communication and national development. In Y. R. Kamalipour (ed.), Global communication, 2nd ed. Belmont, CA: Wadsworth.
  14. Carpentier, N. (2011). Media and participation: A site of ideological-democratic struggle. Bristol: Intellect.
  15. https://doi.org/10.26530/OAPEN_606390
  16. Castells, M. (2001). The power of identity. Oxford: Blackwell.
  17. CHE. (2004). Criteria for institutional audits. Pretoria: Council on Higher Education.
  18. Chevalier, J. M. & Buckles, D. J. (2013). Participatory action research: Theory and methods for engaged inquiry, London: Routledge.
  19. Christensen, D. & Eyring, H. (2011). The innovative university. San Francisco: Jossey-Bass. Council for Higher Education. See CHE.
  20. Cuthill, M. & Brown, A. (2010). Sceptics, utilitarians and missionaries: Senior managers' perceptions of engagement in a research intensive Australian university. Australasian Journal of University Community Engagement, 5(2): 126-146.
  21. Cuthill, M., O'Shea, E., Wilson, B. & Viljoen, P. (2014). Universities and the public good: A review of knowledge exchange policy and related university practice in Australia. Australian Universities' Review, 56(2): 36-46. Retrieved March 25, 2017 from: http://files.eric.ed.gov/fulltext/EJ1047072.pdf
  22. Darder, A, Baltodano, M. & Torres, R. D. (2003). Critical pedagogy: An introduction. In A. Darder, M. Baltodano & R.D. Torres (eds.), Critical pedagogy reader. New York: Routledge Falmer. pp. 1-23.
  23. Eriksen, T.H. (2005). How can the global be local? Islam, the West and the globalisation of identity politics. In O. Hemer & T. Tufte (eds.), Media and glocal change: Rethinking communication for development. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
  24. Fanon, F. (1952). Black faces, white masks. (C. L. Markmann, Transl.). London: Pluto.
  25. Favish, J. (2003). Monitoring the quality of higher education: The case for making contributions to development central to considerations of quality. Paper read at the International Conference on Assessing Quality in Higher Education. 14-16 July, 2003. Cape Town.
  26. Favish, J. (2010). Towards developing a common discourse and a policy framework for social responsiveness. In Communication engagement in South African higher education, Council of Higher Education Kagisano series, no 6 (January). Pretoria: Jacana. pp 89-103. Retrieved March 25, 2017 from: http://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Kagisano_No_6_January2010.pdf
  27. Figueroa, M. E., Kincaid, D. L., Rani, M. & Lewis, G. (2002). Communication for social change: An integrated model for measuring the process and its outcomes. The communication for social change working paper series no 1. New York: The Rockefeller Foundation. pp. 42.
  28. Fisher, C. M. (2012). Adapting the information-motivation-behavioral skills model: Predicting HIVrelated sexual risk among sexual minority youth. Health Education Behavior, 39(3): 290-302.
  29. https://doi.org/10.1177/1090198111406537
  30. Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the oppressed. (M. B. Ramos, Transl.) Washington: Continuum.
  31. Freire, P. (1992). Pedagogy of hope. London: Continuum.
  32. Freire, P. (2003a). From "Pedagogy of the oppressed". In A. Darder, M. Baltodano & R. D. Torres (eds.), Critical pedagogy reader. New York: Routledge Falmer. pp 57-68.
  33. Freire, P. (2003b). Rethinking literacy: A dialogue. In In A. Darder, M. Baltodano & R. D. Torres (eds.), Critical pedagogy reader. New York: Routledge Falmer. pp 354-364.
  34. Gaonkar, D. P. (2001). On alternative modernities. In D.P. Gaonkar (ed.), Alternative modernities. Durham: Duke University Press. pp 1-23.
  35. Gauntlett, D. (2011). Three approaches to social capital. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from: http://www.makingisconnecting.org/gauntlett2011-extract-sc.pdf
  36. Habito-Cadiz, M. C. (2006). Communication and participatory development: participatory evaluation. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  37. Hall, M. (2010). Community engagement in South African higher education. In Communication engagement in South African higher education, Council of Higher Education Kagisano series, no 6 (January). Pretoria: Jacana. pp 1-52. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from: http://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Kagisano_No_6_January2010.pdf
  38. Hawkins, R. L. & Mauer, K. (2010). Bonding, bridging and linking: How social capital operated in New Orleans following hurricane Katrina. British Journal of Social Work, 40: 1777-1793.
  39. https://doi.org/10.1093/bjsw/bcp087
  40. Hemer, O. & Tufte, T. (2005). The challenge of the global. In O. Hemer & T. Tufte (eds.), Media and glocal change: Rethinking communication for development. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
  41. Hemer, O. (2005). Writing the world. In O. Hemer & T. Tufte (eds.), Media and glocal change: Rethinking communication for development. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
  42. Hill, A. (2005). Reality TV: Audiences and popular factual television. London: Routledge. Retrieved May 12, 2015, from: http:// www.researchgate.net/publication/254240391_Labouring_towards_self-fulfilment_personal_genomics_and_the_participatory_turn
  43. Huesca, R. (2006). Studying new social movements to renew development communication research. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC. pp. 750-761.
  44. Huff, R. M. (2006). Reality television. London: Praeger.
  45. Jacobson, T. (2012). Measuring communicative action for participatory communication. Lecture presented on 26 July 2012 at the University of Johannesburg.
  46. Jonker, H. (2016). A conceptual framework for community engagement at the North-West University (Potchefstroom Campus): A participatory approach to communication for sustainable social change. Unpublished PhD thesis. Potchefstroom: NWU.
  47. Kajner, T. (2013). Beyond the binary: Scholarship, engagement, and social transformation, in L. Shultz & T. Kajner. (Eds.), Engaged scholarships: The politics of engagement and disengagement. Boston: Sense Publishers.
  48. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-94-6209-290-7_2
  49. Kincaid, D. L., Figueroa, M. E., Storey, J. D. & Underwood, C. R. (2007). A social ecology model of communication, behaviour change, and behaviour maintenance. Working Paper, Centre for Communication Programmes, Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health.
  50. Lasswell, H. (1948). The structure and function of communication in society. In L. Bryson (ed.), The communication of ideas. New York: Harper & Row. pp. 32-51
  51. Lazarus, J., Erasmus, M. D., Nduna, J. & Slamat, J. (2008). Embedding community engagement in South African higher education. Education, Citizenship and Social Justice, 3(1): 57-83.
  52. https://doi.org/10.1177/1746197907086719
  53. Lerner, D. (1958). The passing of traditional society: Modernizing Middle East. New York: Free Press of Glencoe.
  54. Mbembe, A. (2015). Decolonizing knowledge and the question of the archive. Public lecture given at the Wits institute for Social and Economic Research (WISER) at the University of the Witwatersrand. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from: http://wiser.wits.ac.za/content/achillembembe-decolonizing-knowledge-and-question-archive-12054
  55. Mefalopulos, P. (2005). Communication for sustainable development: Applications and challenges. In O. Hemer & T. Tufte (eds.), Media and glocal change: Rethinking communication for development. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
  56. Mefalopulos, P. (2008). Development communication sourcebook: Broadening the boundaries of communities. Washington: The World Bank.
  57. https://doi.org/10.1596/978-0-8213-7522-8
  58. Melkote, S. R. (1991). Communication for development in the Third World: Theory and practice. New Delhi: Sage.
  59. Miller, N. & Sabapathy, J. (2011). Open universities: A vision for the public university in the twenty-first century. In A manifesto for the public university, edited by J. Holmwood. London: Bloomsbury. pp. 42-55.
  60. https://doi.org/10.5040/9781849666459.ch-003
  61. Ministry of Education. (1997). Act on Higher Education 101 of 1997. Retrieved on 2017/02/11 from: http://www.che.ac.za/media_and_publications/legislation/higher-education-act-101-199723
  62. Moemeka, A. A. (1991). Perspectives on development communication. In Module on development communication 1, edited by S.T.K. Boafo. Nairobi: African Council for Communication Education.
  63. Mowlana, H. & Wilson, L. J. (1990). The passing of modernity: Communication and the transformation of society. New York: Longman.
  64. Muller, J. (2010). Engagements with engagement: A response to Martin Hall. In Communication engagement in South African higher education, Council of Higher Education Kagisano series, no 6 (January). Pretoria: Jacana. pp. 68-88. Retrieved on 25/3/2017 from: http://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Kagisano_No_6_January2010.pdf
  65. Narayanasamy, N. (2009). Participatory rural appraisal: Principles, methods and applications. New Delhi: Sage.
  66. https://doi.org/10.4135/9788132108382
  67. Ng g , T. (1994). Decolonising the mind: The politics of language in African literature. Nairobi: EAEP. Oxford: James Currey.
  68. Nikkhah, H. A., Redzuan, M. & Abu-Samah, A. (2012). Development of 'power within' among the women: A road to empowerment. Asian Social Science, 8(1), January:39-46.
  69. https://doi.org/10.5539/ass.v8n1p39
  70. Nongxa, L. (2010). An (engaged) response to Hall's paper: Community engagement in South African higher education. In Communication engagement in South African higher education, Council of Higher Education Kagisano series, no 6 (January). Pretoria: Jacana. pp 53-67. Retrieved on 25/3/2017 from: http://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Kagisano_No_6_January2010.pdf
  71. Obregon, R. & Mosquera, M. (2005). Participatory and cultural challenges for research and practice in health communication. In O. Hemer & T. Tufte (eds.), Media and glocal change: Rethinking communication for development. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
  72. Petter, A. (2013). Weaving the academy into the fabric of community: The Simon Fraser University experience. Paper presented at the 11th PASCAL International Observatory Conference. Retrieved on 2017/05/06 from: https://www.sfu.ca/pres/petterspeeches/2013/201309.html
  73. Putnam, R. (2000). Bowling alone: The collapse and revival of American community, New York: Simon & Schuster.
  74. https://doi.org/10.1145/358916.361990
  75. Putnam, R. D. (1995). Bowling alone: America's declining social capital. Journal of Democracy, 6(1): 65-78.
  76. https://doi.org/10.1353/jod.1995.0002
  77. Riaño, P. (2006). Women in grassroots communication: Furthering social change. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  78. Rogers, E. (1962). Diffusion of innovations. New York: Free Press of Glencoe.
  79. Sawhney, H. (2002). Global economy and international telecommunications networks, in Global Communication, edited by Y.R. Kamaliour. London: Wadsworth.
  80. Schramm, W. (1964). Mass media and national development: the role of information in the developing countries. Stanford: Stanford University Press.
  81. Servaes, J. & Malikhao, P. (2005). Participatory communication: The new paradigm? In O. Hemer & T. Tufte (eds.), Media and glocal change: Rethinking communication for development. Buenos Aires: CLACSO.
  82. Servaes, J. (1995). Development communication: for whom and for what? Communicatio, 21(1): 39-49.
  83. https://doi.org/10.1080/02500169508537827
  84. Shah, H. & Wilkins, K. G. (2006). Geometries of development. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  85. Slamat, J. (2010). Community engagement as scholarship: A response to Hall. In Communication engagement in South African higher education, Council of Higher Education Kagisano series, no 6 (January). Pretoria: Jacana. pp. 104-114. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from: http://www.che.ac.za/sites/default/files/publications/Kagisano_No_6_January2010.pdf
  86. Smith, M. K. (2002). Paulo Freire and informal education. In The encyclopaedia of informal education. Retrieved March 25, 2017, from: http://infed.org/mobi/paulo-freire-dialoguepraxis-and-education/
  87. Snyman, L. (2014). An analysis of community engagement at South African universities. Unpublished MA dissertation. Johannesburg: University of Johannesburg.
  88. Sreberny-Mohammadi, S. & Mohammadi, A. (2006). Small media, big revolution: Communication, culture and the Iranian revolution. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  89. Szreter, S. & Woolcock, M. (2004). Health by association? Social capital, social theory, and the political economy of public health. International Journal of Epidemiology, 33(4): 650-667.
  90. https://doi.org/10.1093/ije/dyh013
  91. Thomas, P. (2006). Participatory development communication: Philosophical premises. In A. Gumucio-Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  92. Tufte, T. & Mefalopulos, P. (2009). Participatory communication: A practical guide. Washington: The World Bank.
  93. Tuhiwai-Smith, L. (1999). Decolonising methodologies: Research and indigenous peoples. New York: Otago University Press.
  94. UNESCO. (1978). Meeting on self-management, access and participation. Retrieved March 6, 2017, from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0003/000303/030337eb.pdf
  95. UNESCO. (1980). Many voices one world (Communication and society today and tomorrow, many voices one world, towards a new more just and more efficient world information and communication order). Retrieved February 22, 2017, from: http://unesdoc.unesco.org/images/0004/000400/040066eb.pdf
  96. Waisbord, S. (2001). Family tree of theories, methodologies and strategies in development communication. Retrieved March 3, 2017, from: http://www.comminit.com/pdf/familytree.pdf+Family+tree+of+theories,+methodologies+and+strategies+in+development+communicationandhl=enandct=clnkandcd=1andgl=za
  97. White, S. A. (2006). The concept of participation: Transforming rhetoric to reality. In A. Gumucio- Dragon & T. Tufte (eds.), Communication for social change anthology: Historical and contemporary readings. South Orange, NJ: CFSC.
  98. Wicks, P. G., Reason, P. & Bradbury, H. (2008). Living inquiry: Personal, political and philosophical groundings for action research practice. In P. Reason & H. Bradbury (eds.). The Sage handbook of action research: Participative enquiry and practice. Los Angeles: Sage. pp. 11-30.
  99. Woolcock, M. M. (2001). The place of social capital in understanding social and economic outcomes. Isuma: Canadian Journal of Policy Research, 2(1): 11-17.
How to Cite
Participations: Rethinking South African universities’ development-oriented community engagement. (2022). Communicare: Journal for Communication Studies in Africa, 36(2), 1-24. https://doi.org/10.36615/jcsa.v36i2.1560

Send mail to Author

Send Cancel

Custom technologies based on your needs

  • ORCID
  • Crossref
  • PubMed
    • Clarivate