presentation critical approaches final

8/2/2019 Presentation Critical Approaches Final

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MC421CRITICAL APPROACHESTO MEDIA,

COMMUNICATIONSAND DEVELOPMENT

SEMINAR 2

The new dominant paradigm in communication:

transformation and adaptation, by Robin Mansell(1982)


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HOW DO ANNE HATHAWAYS DRESSES RELATE TO ROBIN

MANSELLS THEORY?


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NEWCLOTHESFORANOLDCONCEPT

At the Oscars last February Anne Hathaway wore 8 different glamorousgowns throughout the evening.

But, in the end of the night, she was the same actress, with the samepersonality. She just changed her look.

A similar process happened with the Dominant Paradigm in the field ofcommunication and development, according to Robin Mansells analysis,written in 1982.

Since the early 60s, the Dominant Paradigm ruled the theories in this

area. But in 1976, it changed its terminology and became the NewDominant Paradigm. But only apparently;

In Mansellswords, this is the same old Diffusion Model in new clothes.

(1982:54). Despite the new visual appearance, the new theory remains thesame, just as Anne Hathaway did after the Oscars.


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CHRONOLOGY 1958Dominant Paradigm

Economy view: economic growth through industrialization, technology andcapital

Communication view: Mass media would be a multiplier for development in thirdworld nations. One way flow from government and agencies to people.

1969to 1971 changes in the International Communications plans in UN andproposals for an International Program of Communication Research.

1976 UNESCO conference: communication is not just to inform and influencepeople, but a process of social integration through a balanced exchange ofinformation and experience. Old models were no longer politically accepted.

Same year New Dominant Paradigm

Economy view: development as a participatory process of social change, intendedto bring about both social and material advancement.

Communication view: focus on the development of technologies to facilitate twoway communication, that could promote a participatory development process.


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WHAT IS, ACCORDING TO MANSELL, THE DOMINANTPARADIGM?

Ideological perspective: industrialization and technology carrysolutions to development.

The aim of the communication research was to determine andmeasure these benefits.

The technology was to be used as a channel for transmission of

messages containing modern information.

The research in this field was based in the diffusion theory,developed largely by Everett M. Rogers.

Diffusion model: mass media was seen as an exogenous factorcapable of causing or stimulating the kind of development that wasconsidered acceptable (1982: 46).

Progress would be achieved through the spread of modernity totraditional and archaic areas


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WHATWASPROPOSEDINTHENEWDOMINANTPARADIGM?

Communication is no longer seen as message-transmissionbased on a top-down structure, from government toinform and influence the people.

New proposal: communication as a process for socialinteraction, through a balanced exchange of informationand experience.

It was an attempt to build a scientific discipline of

communication.

For the authors of this new model, changes in the rhetoricare, in fact, fundamental changes.


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WHY THE NEW PARADIGM IS, IN FACT, STILL OLD

Why a superficial revisionism? Reasons:

1. Still attached to the Diffusion Model, but in new clothes

(focused on the diffusion of innovations, usually a technological idea)

Rogers view: The mass media may be used tofeed local groups withinformation about their expressed needs, and to disseminate innovations

that may meet certain of these needs.

Mansells criticism : the question remained the same: how does thecommunication structure affect the rate and choice of adoption of

innovations.

Example: Health Campaigns on the radio in 1970, in Tanzania, were stillfocused on providing information about ways of solving developmentproblems

It is still a top-down approach.


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2. Still focused on technology as a solution fordevelopment and communication

Satellite broadcasting, cable television, and computers, facilitatethe process of development (again, technology):

Rogers view: what is really new about communicationtechnology is not the technology per se as much as thesocial technology of how the new communicationdevices are organized and used.

Mansells criticism: research within this tradition willsupport unexamined multilateral and bilateral aid forcommunication technology transfer

Again, an incentive to engage in technology transfer fromone country to another as a way to achieve

development.


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3. Just revitalized research programs(the research questions are still irrelevant to the real world of decision-making)

o Research need to establish evidence of direct cause-effect betweentechnology and change in many sectors.

o Criteria to define benefit and costs of the programmes are still dependenton previous social and economic factors.

o Build more sophisticated measurement tools to decrease the high costs ofthis type of research

Rogers proposal: field experimental designs rather than surveys

Mansells criticism: The questions raised for research avoid examination

of the dynamics of the economic and political context where decisionsaffecting policy implementation will occur

Still the same structure rather than seeking to alter structuralconstraints to development.


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WHYTHENEWPARADIGMIS, INFACT, STILLOLD?

4.

Revisions of both theory, methods and practice aresuperficial

o Models and conceptual tools were simply renamed with newterminology and catch-phrases.

o Rigidities of scientific method are put aside. Approach ismore holistic.

o The new approach remains unconcerned with theimportance of the political, economic and social context.

o Incentive for the changes arises primarily from the need toavoid rejection by research funding agencies.

Only rhetoric the changes


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CONSEQUENCES/CONCLUSIONS

oNo attention to communication relations between First

and Third Worlds countries.

oThe new model still contributes and supports themaintenance of the old dependent relationships.

oOmission of the socio-economic and political content inwhich relationships between countries occur.

oFactors that constrain communication are left behind aswell factors that constrain development processes.

oNo recognition of the Dependancy Theory technologyhas created dependent relationship between First and ThirdWorld countries, but this is not researched.


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MANSELLS SUGGESTIONS

oResearch should be focused on how to remove the

barriers for participation of the citizen in the

communication for development process.

oIt must be recognized that the "Dominant Paradigm"has not passed, and that it should not be ignored

Important questions arising within the changing

international communication context will remain

unanswered if resources supporting research areallocated in substantial part to studies within this

tradition


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The dominant paradigm did not die. It just

changed clothes.

When will we start doing a complete plasticsurgery in the old concepts?

Thank you!

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