Andreas Fuglesang’s book should be read and judged in this context. The Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation initiated this work by requesting an updated version of Fuglesang’s popular book Applied Communication in Developing Countries: Ideas and Observations, originally published in 1973. Fortunately, instead of an update, a new book ‘about understanding’ emerged. Thanks to Fuglesang’s extensive Third World experience, the book has not become an abstract discourse but retains its practical orientation. Fuglesang introduces new and bold perspectives in his analysis of the role of communications in social and economic development. His argument that social transformation can be described in terms of social information processing provides new and valuable insights. But as a practical guide to the issues of development communication, the book is primarily focused on the dilemmas confronting the development workers in the Third World. In this book, they will be gratified to find many valuable observations and ideas that they can apply to their respective work situations.
Publication