COMMUNICATION AS A TOOL FOR EFFECTIVE GOVERNANCE

Abstract

This paper analyses the positive and negative contributions of communication to governance. In theory, effective communication helps to promote good governance. The Governance strategies have been generally poor at integrating media and communication issues into their analysis, research and strategic plans. Good governance requires an inclusive public space based on informed dialogue and debate, a positive relationship between communication and governance seems plausible. Humans' first efforts at communication grew from the pointing and pantomiming our ancestors developed. In "History of Communication," Michael Tomasello suggests that those primitive communication technologies provided the basis for cooperation among early humans. Prevailing views on good governance centre upon concepts of capability, accountability and responsiveness. They focus on the need for the full participation of citizens and civil society actors in governance and are predicated on the effective flow of information and dialogue between citizen, governments and other actors. By situating communication, information dissemination and dialogue as key components of governance a positive correlation between communication and good governance is tacitly assumed. The aim of this paper is to examine the role (both positive and negative) that communication plays in promoting effective governance by analysing available evidence and highlighting specific case studies, evaluations reports and academic articles detailing the impact of communication on governance. The purpose is to move beyond anecdote and conjecture, to review the evidence base and thereby to provide a reliable basis for policies and programmes on communication for good governance.