Should the C4D expert survive? Rethinking expertise in communication and innovation

ABSTRACT

The notion of expertise in communication for development (C4D) is a complicated matter. While C4D is ideally framed as inter-disciplinary, this comes into conflict with the need to define and maintain boundaries around C4D expertise within organisations and agencies. In this viewpoint these tensions are unpacked with reference to recent ethnographies of aid and development institutions, and expanded upon by a reflection on intersections between C4D and the rising interest in innovation for development. The viewpoint proposes “communication for innovation”, or “communicative innovation” as an urgent new research agenda for C4D.

La notion d’expertise dans la communication pour le développement (C4D) est une question compliquée. Si la C4D est idéalement définie comme interdisciplinaire, cette formulation est incompatible avec la nécessité de définir et maintenir des frontières autour de l’expertise de la C4D au sein des organisations et des agences. Dans ce point de vue, ces tensions sont examinées à la lumière d’études ethnographiques récentes sur les institutions d’aide au développement, et cet examen est élargi par une réflexion sur les croisements entre la C4D et l’intérêt croissant pour l’innovation dans le développement. Le point de vue propose « la communication pour l’innovation », ou « l’innovation communicative » comme nouveau programme de recherche pour la C4D.

La noción de pericia en comunicación para el desarrollo (C4D, por sus siglas en inglés) es un asunto complejo. Aunque idealmente la C4D se entiende como un ámbito interdisciplinario, esta idea entra en conflicto con la necesidad de definir y mantener los linderos en torno a la pericia en C4D al interior de organizaciones y agencias. El presente punto de vista examina estas tensiones a partir de recientes etnografías de instituciones de ayuda y desarrollo. Además, estos estudios son profundizados a través de una reflexión que aborda las intersecciones entre la C4D y el creciente interés en la innovación para el desarrollo. El punto de vista propone impulsar la “comunicación para la innovación” o la “innovación comunicativa” como una agenda de investigación urgente para la C4D.

KEYWORDS:

• Technology – ICT, Media
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Acknowledgements

The author wishes to acknowledge the Chief Investigators of the “Evaluating Communication for Development: Supporting adaptive and accountable development” (LP130100176), especially Prof. Jo Tacchi; the Digital Ethnography Research Centre at RMIT University; and the University of Leicester for their support for this research. She also wishes to thank the editors of this Special Issue and anonymous reviewers for their feedback.

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author.

Notes on contributor

Jessica Noske-Turner is a Lecturer in Media and Communication at the University of Leicester, UK. She was previously a Postdoctoral Researcher at the School of Media and Communication, RMIT University, Australia. Her research interests are media assistance and communication for development, and appropriate evaluation approaches for programmes of this type.

Notes

1. For example, a partnership with Tigo, a telecommunications company in Tanzania, is framed as key to an SMS-based birth registration initiative in that country. GSMA, the global association of mobile operators, positions itself as a key actor in ICTD.

2. See for example, www.ideo.com/about.

Additional information

Funding

This article draws on research that was supported by the “Evaluating Communication for Development: Supporting adaptive and accountable development” project, funded by the Australian Research Council, UNICEF C4D and the Eidos Institute (LP130100176). The lead investigators are Jo Tacchi, Patricia Rogers, Vinod Pavarala, Linje Manyozo, and Rafael Obregon. It also draws on the "Mobilising Media for Sustainable Outcomes in the Pacific Region" led by Heather Horst, Jo Tacchi and Domenic Friguglietti, funded by the Australian Research Council and ABC International Development (LP120200705).