Routledge Communicating National Integration: Empowering Development in African Countries

This book addresses the negative impact of social cleavages on the development of many African countries. It proposes new ideas on how the development crisis in Africa may be addressed by conceptualizing the underlying problem as a communication issue. In contrast to the frequent neglect of this key factor this book provides a provocative discussion of how communication strategies can help to promote national integration and social, economic and political development. It argues that the activities associated with the communication of national integration must be seen as an all-encompassing task that transcends official speeches in attempts to persuade a disparate population to cultivate national consciousness. Such activities must encompass efforts to persuade leaders to eliminate policies that seek to promote spatial dislocation and cross-cultural interaction, and to arouse the audience to pay closer attention to integrative messages disseminated through the mass media. Review 'Today, many African nations are falling behind in their national development, due to outdated social structures and cleavages. The author of this insightful book, a leading expert in international communication with his African background, personal experiences, and expertise, provides both invaluable insights into the problems and keys to their solution. The book is a "must" for anyone interested in social communication within and between national cultures.' Dr Harold Fisher, Professor Emeritus, Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA 'Professor Amienyi's work not only is an important contribution to understanding how mass media has worked in relation to national integration, but more importantly Professor Amienyi suggests how mass media can help foster national integration. His ideas about strategies, media channels and his model of integrative communication should result in more scholarly discussion and research in this important area.' Dr Marlin Shipman, Arkansas State University, USA 'This book suggests how communication can contribute to national cohesion and grapples with the complex issues of how ethnic and cultural identities are related to national identities. Departing from a theoretical base, the author provides a range of examples from African countries to illustrate his argument. This book should elicit more debate around what the role of communication in development should be in the African context.' Dr Herman Wasserman, Stellenbosch University, South Africa About the Author Osabuohien P. Amienyi is Professor at the Department of Radio-TV, Arkansas State University, USA.