Includes bibliographical references (p. [379]-408) and index.

Contents: Introduction and overview: Introduction to communication, development, and empowerment in the third world: Third world -- Communication -- Development -- Empowerment -- Development communication -- Organization of the book -- Summary -- Notes -- Evolution of the theory and practice of development communication: Development aid since world war II -- Early pro-transfer of innovations period -- Pro-persuasion and pro-top-down biases -- Pro-mass media and pro-literacy biases -- In-the-head psychological constraints on development -- Challenges for the 21st century -- Summary -- Notes -- Development discourse, modernization theory, and communication: The enterprise of modernization and the dominant discourse of development: Modernization as an economic model -- Modernization as a social evolution -- Modernization as individual change -- Modernization as discourse -- Summary -- Notes -- Communication approach in the modernization of the third world: Communication effects approach -- Mass media and modernization approach -- Diffusion of innovations research -- Social marketing of family planning, health, and pro-social innovations -- Summary -- Notes -- Critical perspectives on communication and development: Deconstructing the dominant paradigm of development: Biases of the dominant paradigm of development -- Critique of the economic model -- Sociology of development and psychosocial models revisited -- Religion, gender, and environmental biases in the discourse of the dominant paradigm -- Conclusion: Alternative perspectives on development -- Summary -- Notes -- Critique of communication approaches in third world development: Mass media and modernization approach: A critique -- Critique of diffusion of innovations research and practice -- Critical appraisal of communication campaigns in strategic social change -- New roles for communication in development -- Information and communication technologies for rural development -- Summary -- Notes -- Liberation perspectives on development: Liberation theology and development: Christian liberation theology -- Jewish liberation theology -- Islam and liberation -- Gandhian liberation theology -- Buddhism and liberation -- Liberation theology and marxism -- Forming alliances -- Summary -- Notes -- Communication and spirituality in development: Paolo Freire and liberation theology -- Base ecclesial community movement in Brazil -- Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement in Sri Lanka -- Family life education in Ghana -- Conculsion -- Summary -- Notes -- Communication and empowerment: Communication strategies for empowerment: Ethics and development -- Communitarian theory -- Participatory strategies in social change -- Reconceptualizing the role of development support communication: A focus on empowerment -- Conclusion -- Summary -- Notes.