ABSTRACT
Development communication in the 1958–1986 period was generally greeted with enthusiasm and optimism. In the 1987–1996 study, the most frequent suggestion was "the need to conduct more policy research, including institutional analysis of development agency coordination. This was followed by the need to research and develop indigenous models of communication and development through participatory research". In order to mainstream communication and strengthen theoretical development in the field, there is a need for subdisciplines such as political communication and intercultural communication to engage more explicitly with Communication for Development and Social Change. Participatory communication (PC) and communication for structural and sustainable social change (CSSC) are more concerned about long-term sustained change at different levels of society, and therefore are more interested in sustainability and lasting impact. Human and environmental sustainability has become a central theme in development and social change activities.
