How do the communication practices of governments, NGOs and social movements enhance opportunities for citizen-led change?In this incisive book, Thomas Tufte makes a call for a fundamental rethinking of what it takes to enable citizens' voices, participation and power in processes of social change. Drawing on examples ranging from the Indignados movement in Spain to media activists in Brazil, from rural community workers in Malawi to UNICEF's global outreach programmes, he presents cutting-edge debates about the role of media and communication in enhancing social change. He offers both new and contested ideas of approaching social change from below, and highlights the need for institutions - governments and civil society organizations alike - to be in sync with their constituencies.Communication and Social Change provides essential insights to students and scholars of media and communications, as well as anyone concerned with the practices and processes that lead to citizenship, democracy and social justice.

Foreword (Silvio Waisbord)Preface and Acknowledgements1. Towards a New Social Thought in Communication and Social Change2. Changing Contexts and Conceptual Stepping Stones3. Participation: A Project of Transformation4. Movements and Media, Communication and Change5. Cultures of Governance: Enhancing Empowerment and Resilience6. Communication Movements7. Invited Spaces: Institutions Communicating for Social Change8. Towards a New Paradigm and Praxis in Communication and Social ChangeReferencesIndex