Communicating for Development : Experience in the Urban Environment

This book reflects current thinking on communicating knowledge to achieve development in the urban environment. The subject is vital as by the year 2050 it is estimated that most of the world's population will be urban, and a very high percentage will be poor.
"Communicating for Development" examines this topic from a variety of perspectives, offers critical analysis and new ideas in relation to communication methods and suggests ways of overcoming gaps and barriers in the communication process. It highlights the role of social networks as social capital, NGOs, Community Based Organizations (CBOs) local academics and governments as a link between researchers and communities, and different types of media suitable for the community's culture. It also shows how specific communication tools can best be used to transfer knowledge to communities located in different geographical contexts with different cultures.
Moreover, the book challenges traditional participatory methods, and proposes instead the application of new communication and knowledge management methods currently used in business management.

Catalin Gandelsonas is a Senior Research Coordinator at Max Lock Centre and teaches BA and MA urban design courses at the School of the Built Environment, University of Westminster. As a professional Architect- Planner and Urban designer she has worked as a consultant for a variety of local authorities in USA and Spain. She has also taught, undertaken research and participated in juries at various universities including Berkeley and Princeton in USA, Buenos Aires, Chile and Mexico in South America. For the past ten years she has been based in London, teaching at UCL and at the University of Westminster combining teaching with research, relating to Pakistan, India, Kenya, Brazil and Northern Cyprus.