The Bretton Woods School of Development communication as an 'agent' of modernisation in Sub-Saharan Africa

A literature study invetigating the role of communication within the Bretton Woods School of Development Communication as an agent to achieve social and economical change in Sub-Saharan Africa. The study presents social and economic change as intended outcomes of modernisation as supported by this school of thought. It grapples with Western modernisation discourse that was advanced by Bretton Woods institutions as well as the instruments of communication (media) applied to achieve the intended developmental outcomes. It suggests that the presumed lack of modernisation in Sub-Saharan Africa is based on subjective development criteria and the applicability of ineffective communication and governance methods that failed to consider the region's cultural and socio-economic diversity. In a postmodern world, the study suggests that there should be a gradual move away from the Bretton Woods School of Development Communication-thought and that the focus should rather be to enable the region to establish communication, development and governance models that are African in character.

Grantor dc:publisher.institution

Department of Political Studies

Year dc:date.issued

2008

Author dc:creator

• Van Zyl, Jeanri-Tine

Advisor dc:contributor.advisor

• Akokpari, John

Language dc:language.iso

eng

Handle dc:identifier.uri

http://hdl.handle.net/11427/11602

OAI identifier oai:identifier

oai:open.uct.ac.za:11427/11602