Intellectual poverty and theory building in African mass communication research

Abstract

intellectual poverty and theory building in african mass communication research abStRactAfter years of heated controversy over philosophical orientations among communication researchers, a consensus seems to have emerged that recognizes the value of both the American and Europeans traditions. It was in the wake of the 'ferment' debates among communication scholars in the late 1970s and early 1980s that African communication scholars also started to take stock of their field and take a closer look at their historical and cultural experiences. In trying to situate their own unique perspectives within the study of communication, these scholars lamented the paucity of authentic African theoretical perspectives.All human communication behaviour is grounded in culture. Hence, authentic African communication theories attempt to explain such behaviour from the African cultural context. Over the years, however, African communication researchers engaged more in 'reactive scholarship' than in original theory building and relied

Culture, Paradigm, and Communication Theory: A Matter of Boundary or Commensurability?

“…Another cultural issue with geocultural theory is that it assumes homogeneity within a culture. But cultures—however the boundaries are drawn—are seldom monolithic unless they are frozen in time and space (Dissanayake, ; M'bayo, Sunday, & Amobi, ; Miike, , p. 249; Obonyo, ; Wasserman, , p. 8). When the Local Selves demand “our” “own” theory, who is this “we” behind the question?…”

De-westernizing Communication Studies: A Reassessment

“…Instead, communication scholarship in the rest of the world has historically drawn from quite different political, economic, sociocultural, and academic settings, notwithstanding the exposure to U.S. and European intellectual traditions. Just because of their locations and historical contexts, communication research in Africa, Asia, the Middle East, and Latin America confronted questions about the intellectual origins of frameworks and research questions much earlier than in the West (Adhikary, ; Jouhki, ; M'Bayo, Sunday, & Amobi, ; Waisbord, ; Zayani, ). Intellectuals in the periphery were more likely to reflect upon these conditions.…”

Provincializing Hegemonic Histories of Media and Communication Studies: Toward a Genealogy of Epistemic Resistance in Africa

“…A large number of studies have offered overviews of the state of research in the area of media and communication studies, and the contribution of academic journals and professional associations to debates in the field. For example, accounts have focused on the general nature of debates on media and communication on the African continent (Boafo & George, 1992;M'Bayo, Sunday, & Amobi, 2012;Musa, 2009;Ndlela, 2009;Nwako & M'Bayo, 1989;Obonyo, 2011;Okigbo, 1987;Taylor, Nwosu, & Mutua-Kombo, 2004;Tomaselli, 2009aTomaselli, , 2009bTomaselli, , 2009cUche, 1987), or have provided more regional accounts, focusing on the state of the field in West Africa (Edeani, 1988;Salawu, 2009;Ugboajah, 1985a) and South(ern) Africa (Beer & Tomaselli, 2000;Fourie, 2005Fourie, , 2010aFourie, , 2010bSalawu, 2013;Steenveld, 2000;Tomaselli, 2005aTomaselli, , 2005bTomaselli, Mboti, & Rønning, 2013;Tomaselli & Shepperson, 2002). Others have highlighted the role of academic journals such as the African Media Review (Edeani, 1995), Critical Arts: South-North Cultural and Media Studies (Tomaselli, 2009a(Tomaselli, , 2009b(Tomaselli, , 2009cTomaselli, Muller, & Shepperson, 1996), and Ecquid Novi: African Journalism Studies (Wasserman, 2004) and the role of professional associations such as the South African Communication Association (SACOMM) (Tomaselli, 2005a(Tomaselli, , 2005bTomaselli & Teer-Tomaselli, 2007).…”