Theorising participation as communicative action for development and social change

Abstract

This article explores, through a basic conceptual-theoretical analysis and a review of relevantliterature, the usefulness of employing the communicative action theory of Jürgen Habermasin theorising the elusive notions of participation and participatory communication theory asapplicable to project based development (Burnside-Lawry, 2012; Chang & Jacobson, 2010;Jacobson, 2003; Jacobson & Storey, 2004; Ramella & De La Cruz, 2000; Servaes, 1999). Theproblem with defining participation is that it is ambiguous – both notionally and in actual contexts– as the concept comprises a myriad of dissimilar epistemologies, methodologies and imaginedgoals, while also representing disparate evaluative measures in thinking about and determiningwhether or not participation has actually occurred in its various applied settings (Chitnis, 2005;Huesca, 2008; Jacobson & Storey, 2004; McAnany, 2012; Melkote & Steeves, 2001; Morris,2003; Wilkins, 2000).