Claiming voices. Latin American contribution to communication for social change

The following lines try to chronicle the more than five-decade process through which Latin American scholars and professionals have gradually sharpened their insights into a new communication for development paradigm, based on grassroots participation and opposed to the dominant one (north american modernization / diffusionism theory). We intend to analyse, synthetically, the contribution of the most significant thinkers and researchers of the region with the aim of evaluating its role in a new approach in development communication, focused in cultural identity, a receiver orientation, participation, dialogue and empowerment.