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African development action with informed and engaged societies
Soul Beat Africa
After nearly 28 years, The Communication Initiative (The CI) Global is entering a new chapter. Following a period of transition, the global website has been transferred to the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) in South Africa, where it will be administered by the Social and Behaviour Change Communication Division. Wits' commitment to social change and justice makes it a trusted steward for The CI's legacy and future.
 
Co-founder Victoria Martin is pleased to see this work continue under Wits' leadership. Victoria knows that co-founder Warren Feek (1953–2024) would have felt deep pride in The CI Global's Africa-led direction.
 
We honour the team and partners who sustained The CI for decades. Meanwhile, La Iniciativa de Comunicación (CILA) continues independently at cila.comminitcila.com and is linked with The CI Global site.
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University of Reading - MSc Communication for Development

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Overview of Programme/Course

This one-year masters programme explores the main challenges of communication in a development context, in a world of rapidly expanding opportunities for interactive communication. It develops professional skills as well as a deep and critical understanding of communication for development.  The Masters can be completed full time over 12 months or part time over 24 months.

Courses and Curriculum

Students take 70 credits in compulsory modules:

  • Theories and Practices of Development (20) - This module explores current issues in international development and poverty reduction from a range of theoretical and stakeholder perspectives. Click here for more information.
  • Research and study skills for independent learning (10) - The aim of the module is to help students develop skills needed to produce good dissertations and coursework at postgraduate level.  Click here for more information.
  • Concepts and Practices of Communication (30) - The aim of this module is to develop a critical understanding of how social and technological change in development contexts is influenced by communication processes, and how to design interventions to address those contexts. Click here for more information.
  • Participatory Interventions (10) - The aims of the module are to: 1) explore changing understandings of innovation processes and decision-making in natural resource based livelihoods, with particular respect to participatory and bottom-up approaches; 2) consider what participatory approaches and methods are together with their strengths and limitations and; 3) consider the implications of 1 and 2 for the management and organisation of practical development and extension/research interventions.  Click here for more information.

A further 50 credits of optional modules can be chosen from a wide range available within the Institute and a cross the University.  Students prepare a dissertation on a relevant topic to be agreed with their Programme Director.

The modular structure of the course allows students to select subjects that meet their own needs and interests, while developing a core set of knowledge and skills.

Click here for the Programme Specifications document (2017/18)

University
University of Reading
Teaching Process
The Master course will consist of lectures, group and individual projects, selected readings, case studies, seminars, and practicals. Students will work with new teaching methods to conduct research during the course, in addition to a dissertation research project. Students will be expected to consult materials on the Internet and relevant academic journals: references to key websites and journal papers will be given. The module is supported by a "Blackboard" course in which all module participants will be enrolled and will be expected to participate. Support for employability in the field of communication for development is provided by group and individual mentoring tailored to the students, and integrated into the curriculum for the degree. Students will have the option of participating in a placement during the summer term.
Core Teaching Materials

The following are indicative texts for this course:

Fraser, C. & Restrepo-Estrada, S. 1998. Communication for Development: Human Change for Survival, London, I.B. Taurus.
Freire, P. 1983. Pedagogy of the Oppressed, London, Penguin.
Fuglesang, A. 1982. About understanding, Uppsala, Dag Hammarskjold Foundation.
Leeuwis, C. 2004. Communication for rural innovation: rethinking agricultural extension, Oxford, Blackwell Publishing.
Melkote, S. R. 2001. Communication for Development in the Third World, New Delhi, Sage Publications.
Ramirez, R. & QUARRY, W. 2009. Communication for another development: Listening Before Telling, London, Zed Books.
Servaes, J. 2008. Communication for Development and Social Change. London: Sage.
Wilkins, K. G. (ed.) Redeveloping Communication for Social Change. Plymouth: Rowland and Littlefield.
Hafkin, N. J. & Huyer, S. (eds.) 2006. Cinderella or Cyberella? Empowering women in the knowledge society. Bloomfield: Kumarian Press.
Tufte, T. & Hemer, O. (eds.) Media and Glocal Change. Goteborg: Nordicom.
Gumucio-Dagron, A. & Tufte, T. (eds.) 2006. Communication for Social Change Anthology: Historical and Contemporary Readings. New Jersey: Communication for Social Change Consortium.

Faculty Publications

Click here for a list of publication by Dr Sarah Cardey.
Click here for a list of publications by Dr Peter Dorward.
Click here for a list of publications by Dr Graham Clarkson.

Other relevant faculty publications include:

  • Cardey, S., Horsfield, G. and Ciampi, L. (2014) Deconstructing gender: queering development communication theory and practice. In: Region as Frame: Politics, Presence and Practice, International Association for Media and Communication Research, 15-19 July, 2014, Hyderbad, India. (Unpublished)
  • Cardey, S., Garforth, C., Clarkson, G. and Dorward, P. (2014) Supporting farmer innovation for agricultural growth: an innovation systems perspective. In: Region as Frame: Politics, Presence and Practice, International Association for Media and Communication Research, 15-19 July, 2014, Hyderbad, India. (Unpublished)
  • Cardey, S., Garforth, C., Clarkson, G. and Dorward, P. (2013) Dynamics of farmer innovation and communication systems in agricultural growth in East Africa. In: Crises, 'Creative Destruction' and the Global Power and Communication Orders, International Association for Communication and Media Research. (Unpublished)
  • Cardey, S., Garforth, C., Govender, E. and Dyll-Myklebust, L. (2013) Entertainment education theory and practice in HIV/AIDS communication: a South Africa/United Kingdom comparison. Critical Arts, 27 (3). pp. 288-310. ISSN 1992-6049 doi: 10.1080/02560046.2013.800665
  • Cardey, S. and Garforth, C. (2013) Incorporating gender in innovation systems research in sub-Saharan Africa. Agriculture for Development, Spring. pp. 18-20. ISSN 1759-0604
  • Kamoto, J., Clarkson, G., Dorward, P. and Shepherd, D. (2013) Doing more harm than good? Community based natural resource management and the neglect of local institutions in policy development. Land Use Policy, 35. pp. 293-301. ISSN 0264-8377 doi: 10.1016/j.landusepol.2013.06.002
  • Smith, S. M., Shepherd, D. D. and Dorward, P. T. (2012) Perspectives on community representation within the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative: experiences from south-east Madagascar. Resources Policy, 37 (2). pp. 241-250. ISSN 0301-4207 doi: 10.1016/j.resourpol.2011.01.001
  • Dorward, P., Shepherd, D. and Galpin, M. (2007) Participatory farm management methods for analysis, decision making and communication. Food and Agriculture Organisation, Rome, pp48
Academic Staff

The core team for the MSc Communication and Development are active researchers in the field of rural extension and communication for development and engage with policy makers and practitioners in international development organisations through consultancy and advisory assignments.  They are:

  • Dr Sarah Cardey, lecturer and Programme Director for MSc Communication for Development; Director of the Graduate Institute for International Development and Applied Economics.  She teaches: Gender and Development, Communication for Innovation and Development, Principles of Communication Design for Development, Concepts and practices of communication.  Her primary research interests are: gender and development (including issues related to sexuality and development) ; Development communication, including communication and social change, HIV/AIDS communication and critical health communication in development; Extension systems and innovation systems in smallholder agriculture;  and Rural livelihoods.  Click here for more information about Dr Sarah Cardey. 
  • Dr Peter Dorward, Associate Professor. He teaches: Participatory interventions in development. His main research interests are a wide range of topics related to smallholder farming and facilitating innovation and the spread of improved practices. Areas of particular interest include: Understanding farmer perceptions of climate variability and change and their implications for agricultural interventions; Understanding decision making in smallholder households and implications for innovation and support; Participatory approaches for facilitating farmer innovation in smallholder farming systems; Extension and communication for smallholder farming systems. Click here for for more information about Dr Peter Dorward.

For a full list of teaching staff in GIIDAE, please click here for more information.

The roots of teaching and learning in communication for development at Reading date back to the origins of the University, which was founded as an extension college of the University of Oxford in 1892. The University itself received its royal charter in 1926, and agricultural extension, communication and development have continued to develop throughout its history. This MSc Communication for Development builds on that history, and has been offered by Reading in its current form for more than a decade.  It is one of a suite of twelve postgraduate programmes that is run through the Graduate Institute for International Development, Agriculture and Economics (GIIDAE) in the School of Agriculture, Policy and Development.

This Masters programme is designed to cover communication theory and issues at all levels, from local to global, and from inter-personal to mass and social media.  It explores a range of development applications, from agricultural advisory services and health communication to advocacy and social change communication.  

The programme seeks to:

  • Build a critical understanding of communication in the diverse contexts of international and local development.
  • Strengthen professional competence in the design, planning and management of information and knowledge interventions.
  • Provide a focus on practical application of new knowledge and skills to support innovation and change.

Click here for more information.
Click here to download a brochure of the Masters Programme.