ABSTRACT
This introductory chapter lays the theoretical and contextual foundations for reimagining social change communication in Sub-Saharan Africa by foregrounding marginalised voices and African epistemologies. Using the October 2020 #EndSARS protests in Nigeria as a case study, this chapter argues that although digital technologies open new pathways for agency, colonial legacies and structural inequalities still hinder genuine participation and transformation. Drawing on Ascroft’s participatory communication and Moemeka’s development communication, this chapter explores how communication can move beyond top-down models towards approaches that empower communities to shape narratives and influence decisions affecting their lives. Couldry’s concept of voice further frames communication as a moral and political act, one that underpins social justice by ensuring recognition and response. Complementing this, Cammaerts’ ideas on protest logics and mediation opportunity structures illuminate how social media both amplifies and constrains marginalised voices. This chapter also surveys the communication landscape in Sub-Saharan Africa—characterised by vast linguistic diversity, ongoing digital divides, and hybrid media systems blending traditional and digital formats. Finally, it critiques Western-centric communication theories that continue to portray African communities as passive recipients rather than active producers of knowledge and agents of transformative change.
