Global South diasporic voices: Rethinking praxis and theory in communication for development

This Special Issue challenges western-dominated development communication scholarship by centring voices from the Global South and its diaspora. While digital technologies have transformed communication for development (C4D) practices, traditional media remain critical in driving development initiatives across the Global South. The contributions explore how diaspora communities are fundamentally rethinking both theoretical foundations and practical applications of C4D through innovative uses of communication platforms. Articles examine diverse case studies including Nigerian diaspora’s electoral mobilization via social media, Vietnamese ethnic minorities’ struggles for communicative sovereignty, diasporic women’s creation of alternative podcast spaces, New Nollywood’s counter-hegemonic cinema, and Turkish discourse on Syrian refugee integration. Collectively, these studies reveal how Global South communities are not merely adapting western models but actively creating frameworks that prioritize cultural preservation, genuine participation and community-controlled communication. The volume argues for more nuanced theoretical approaches that recognize Global South agency in defining development priorities within our interconnected yet unequal globalized world.