Communication for Development in the Third World

Srinivas Raj Melkote has been a Professor in the fields of media and communication for more than 30 years. Professor Melkote is currently in his 31st year at the School of Media and Communication in Bowling Green State University, Ohio, USA. He has taught at universities in India, US, and Jamaica. He served as a Fulbright Professor at Manipal University in India and is currently a Fulbright Specialist. Professor Melkote has researched and published extensively on a range of issues ranging from the role of communication in directed social change, participatory communication, international communication, health communication, communication strategies for HIV/AIDS prevention, mass communication theory, quantitative research methods, media effects, and communication pedagogy. His book Communication for Development in the Third World: Theory and Practice for Empowerment, 2nd edition (coauthored with Dr Leslie Steeves) is a core text for courses on media and communication in directed social change in colleges around the world. Professor Melkote's current interests are examining the role of media and communication in achieving empowerment and social justice. His work in social change communication examines the roles of globalization, economics, politics, and hegemonic discourse in sustaining and widening the inequality gaps between people in societies around the world.