An analysis of successful community develoment communication: missionaries, max-neef and the universal need for transcendence
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Date
2008
Authors
Ingle, Mark
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Department of Communication Science, University of the Free State
Abstract
This article attempts to isolate a “sufficient condition” for development communication
to succeed. It juxtaposes two case studies - the 19th Century Christian missionaries as
a developmental success story, and the malign influence of Soviet ideology as a
developmental failure - and analyses these case studies in the light of a variety of socalled
“alternative theories” of development. Human Scale Development, as
articulated by Manfred Max-Neef, emerges as being the most instructive of these
paradigms. Max-Neef sought to identify the key “satisfiers” which would enable true
development to occur. It is argued that many of the processes and activities that
typically accompanied the communication of the message of Christianity to southern
African answer to the “satisfiers” that Max-Neef's schema calls for. The enquiry further
argues that humankind's fundamental need for transcendence is the only need which, if
satisfied, will of necessity culminate in true individual and, by extension, community
development. This line of thinking ultimately draws its inspiration from the Ancient
Greek concept of eros which is seen to have informed the early missionary movement's
message of hope and faith.
* Mark
Description
Keywords
Missionary movement's, Community development, Communication, Max-Neef, Manfred, Christian missionaries
Citation
Ingle, M. (2008). An analysis of successful community develoment communication: missionaries, max-neef and the universal need for transcendence. Communitas, 13(1), 35-55.