Approaches and Agency in Communication for Development and Social Change in the Americas

Abstract

In a constantly evolving world, it is crucial to examine how different social agents approach social change. Within the communication field, this concept is inherently tied to the tradition of Communication for Development and Social Change (CDSC). This tradition has developed regionally, with significant contributions from Latin American scholars, and with less prominence from North American authors, who have been accused of unilaterally imposing development models. In this context, two questions originate our study: What are the relationships of continuity and disruption that characterize the predominant trends and approaches in the conceptualization and practice of social change in Anglo-America and Latin America? And how do academic perspectives relate to concrete experiences of social change in the field of CDSC in the Americas? To address these questions, we conducted a scoping review that allows us to compare the understanding of social change among Anglo-American and Latin American scholars, as well as their ability to implement these ideas as agents of change. The results lead us to discuss three relationships of continuity and disruption between two communities of practice in the Americas: First, Latin American scholars associate social change with media communication and diversity in the symbolic representation of communities, while Anglo-Americans link it to social justice and political activism. Second, both groups blur the distinction between development and social change by operationalizing both in terms of community well-being and prosperity. Finally, we identify a rupture in the disciplinary organization of CDSC field in both regions.