Scholars from Africa and Europe have called for a fresh approach to communication and development on the continent, highlighting the importance of African-centred narratives in shaping social transformation. 

They made the call during the virtual launch of the book, “Communication and Social Change in Africa: Selected Case Studies”, which explores the role of communication in driving meaningful progress across Africa. 

Speaking at the launch, Dr. Stanley Ukpai, Director of Projects at the Development Research and Projects Centre (dRPC), described the publication as a groundbreaking contribution that challenges Western-dominated development and communication paradigms. 

He stressed the importance of decolonising knowledge production, particularly in communication studies, and announced that the book would be made available to universities across Africa with support from the MacArthur Foundation. 

“The book provides fresh insights into how communication is leveraged for social change in diverse African contexts, from health campaigns to political movements. It responds to the growing demand for African perspectives in shaping development discourse,” Dr. Ukpai stated. 

Malam Hassan Karofi, Director of Partnerships and Communication at dRPC, commended the book’s focus on real-life case studies, noting its relevance in fields such as advocacy communication for policy change. 

He highlighted a specific case study on family planning advocacy in Northern Nigeria, supported by the Gates Foundation between 2015 and 2023, as an example of how strategic communication can drive policy reforms. 

Edited by Dr. Manfred A. K. Asuman, Dr. Theodora Dame Adjin-Tettey, and Professor Modestus Fosu, the book brings together diverse scholarly perspectives, amplifying authentic African voices in the field of communication studies. 

In the foreword, renowned media scholar Franz Krüger underscores the necessity of understanding African media on its own terms, rather than through the lens of Global North trends. 

Key highlights of the book include contributions from scholars across Africa, covering underrepresented regions in academic literature; a strong emphasis on community media, particularly the role of radio in grassroots development; exploration of the intersection between traditional African cultural systems and modern communication technologies and case studies on Communication for Social Change (CSC) initiatives and their impact on improving lives.