ABSTRACT

Since the final decades of the 20th century, the ideas of praxis and liberation have been central for the construction of Latin American communication thought. Drawing from a rich corpus of praxis-oriented theory and experiences, this chapter reviews how the concept of praxis historically served to combat scientific and sociopolitical dependence, and as an antidote to media instrumentality. From the work of leading pioneers to the contemporary approaches of social movements and indigenous groups, the chapter demonstrates that the media studies ‘turn’ to practice had important antecedents in Latin America, especially in fields such as alternative media, educommunication, reception studies, and communication for development and social change.