Political Communication: An Evolving Field Yet to Berth in Africa

Abstract

This chapter is an exploratory study on the state of political communication in Africa. Using historical method of analysis and the agenda-setting theory of the press, the study found out that in spite of the fact that the field has been in existence in Europe and America for decades, the field, based on findings from selected African Universities is yet to berth in Africa and consequently recommended necessary steps that must be taken in a bid to strengthen democracy in Africa. Since 1973 when the Political Communication Division was created within the International Communication Association (ICA) in the USA in a bid to give this field of study the specialty it deserves, the multiplier effect of that division is yet to fully berth in Africa. The thrust of this chapter, therefore, is anchored on the urgent need for the dismantling of all hurdles militating against the full emergence/existence of political communication as a discipline in Africa, while urging all the stakeholders: The University Commissions, Governments, Practitioners, teachers, or scholars as well as promoters of University education in Africa to set the ball rolling. The paper notes that political communication is an evolving field of study in Africa, just as the teaching of courses as well as development of graduate program that could popularize the field and project it as a career is nonexistent in several Universities in Africa. While attributing the problem to the fact that the field developed lately in the world [Lin (Handbook of Political Communication Research. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004), Kaid (Handbook of Political Communication Research. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004), Haynes (Handbook of Political Communication Research. Lawrence Erlbaum Associates, 2004)], the paper is of the view that the field ought to have been firmly established in the first generation of Universities in Africa, especially those countries which had close political affinities since the period of nationalist activities spearheaded by the National Congress of British West Africa (NCBWA),South West African Peoples Organization (SWAPO), and African National Congress (ANC). Using historical method of analysis and the agenda-setting theory of the press, the chapter recommends that for healthy growth of democracy and its sustainability, political communication should be mounted without further delay as a separate field of study at postgraduate level in Africa while it is taught as one of the courses at undergraduate level.