Decolonising Communication for Development and Social Change

This book brings together research and critical perspectives from scholars across Sub-Saharan Africa and its diaspora to advance African-centred approaches to communication for development and social change. It challenges Western-dominated frameworks by foregrounding indigenous knowledge systems and positioning communication as a space for decolonial transformation, social justice, and inclusive development.

The volume develops theoretical and methodological insights that centre African epistemologies within global debates, interrogating entrenched power structures while promoting cultural diversity and social cohesion. Through interdisciplinary approaches, it draws on decolonial and postcolonial frameworks to examine how African knowledge informs communication practices across education, health, digital media, intercultural engagement, and community contexts. The volume explores pedagogical practices, health communication strategies, and media dynamics through a decolonial lens. The book offers practical and conceptual tools for fostering resistance, collective action, and socially grounded transformation, while encouraging critical reflection on dominant knowledge systems.

This book is intended for scholars, researchers, students, and practitioners in communication, development studies, higher education, and the social sciences who are interested in decoloniality, African knowledge systems, and socially just approaches to communication.

Fulufhelo Oscar Makananise is an NRF-rated researcher and Associate Professor in Media Studies at the University of South Africa (UNISA). He holds a doctoral degree in Media Studies from the University of Limpopo. Prof. Makananise obtained a PG (dip)HE from Rhodes University. He also serves as an external examiner in other South African universities and as a reviewer in international and national scholarly journals. Prof. Makananise has authored and published academic articles in peer-reviewed and DHET-accredited journals. In addition, Prof. Makananise has presented papers at both national and international conferences. His research interests include new media technology, digital media, indigenous language media, social media, political communication, digital diplomacy, and news media consumption.

Edgar Julius Malatji is a Senior Lecturer in Media Studies at the University of South Africa and holds a PhD in Media Studies. Also, he was a coordinator of the Programme of Media Studies within the Department of Communication, Media, and Information Studies at the University of Limpopo. Dr. Malatji has recently acquired a Postgraduate Diploma in Higher Education from the Durban University of Technology. He published several scholarly contributions, including book chapters, articles as well and conference papers. Some of his scholarly presentations were delivered in Ireland, France, Russia, and Nigeria. Currently, Dr. Malatji is working on a book titled “Decolonising Communication for Development and Social Change Research: Intercultural Perspectives from the Global South”. Lastly, his research interests focus on Indigenous Language Media, Digital Media, Development Communication, and Broadcasting Studies.

Shumani Eric Madima is a Linguistics Senior Lecturer at the University of Venda (UNIVEN) in the Department of English, Media Studies and Linguistics, Faculty of Humanities, Social Sciences and Education. He teaches Linguistics to undergraduate and postgraduate students. He completed his BA degree at the University of South Africa (Unisa), BA (Hons) in Applied Linguistics at the University of Pretoria, MA (Cum Laude) in Linguistics, and PhD in Linguistics at the University of Venda. He has been a teacher and a lecturer at South African Teacher Education (SACTE). His fields of specialisation are Sociolinguistics, Language Planning, Psycholinguistics, Language and gender, Linguistics in Educational Context and Media Studies. He has written several articles on various themes, such as Linguistics and Media Studies, which have been published in different international journals.

Tshepang Bright Molale holds a PhD in Communication Studies and is a senior lecturer in Media Studies at the University of the Witwatersrand. He has published journal articles and book chapters widely in international and locally accredited peer-reviewed outlets, including a co-edited anthology entitled “Strategic Communication Management for Development and Social Change: Perspectives from the African Region”. His research interests also include Communication for Development and Social Change, Development Journalism and African Language Media Studies.