Dillon, Eilish (2024) Putting Critical Learning at the Heart of Ethical Global Development Communications among INGOs. Project Report. Maynooth University.

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Abstract

This research is designed to support the implementation of the Guide to Ethical Communications (Dóchas 2023), which reiterates the importance of ethical global development (GD) communications and suggests renewed commitment on the part of INGOs in Ireland to good practice in this area. In doing so, it explores the training and learning aspects of ethical GD communications practice among INGOs in Ireland. Drawing on a survey, research workshops and documentary analysis, it argues that if implementation of the Guide is to be meaningful, INGOs need to put training and learning at the heart of ethical GD practice. This training and learning needs to apply an organisational learning approach rather than one focused on individual skills deficits or development. This requires that INGOs (individually or through Dóchas) offer many different opportunities for training and learning for all those working in and with INGOs, including all staff, management, volunteers, partners, board members and contractors, and that links are made between this training and learning and wider organisational policy and practice. In addressing communications at all levels of practice, relationships and culture within and across INGOs in Dóchas, approaches should ensure that training and learning spaces and facilitation support deep, critical, applied learning for ethical GD communications’ practice among participants. Because of the challenges and complexities involved in ensuring ethical GD communications’ practice, this training and learning needs to address the many power relations which underlie communications practices at different levels (see Diagram 1 below). The research highlights the current tendency within many INGOs to limit ‘training’ to distribution of the Dóchas Guide, some induction training and / or short-term training for certain cohorts of staff, e.g., communications staff. This research shows that, at best, these practices only support surface level understanding of what’s required for ethical GD practice. In its exploration of different approaches to training and learning around ethical GD communications, it shows that those framed by diversity and localisation concerns can help organisations go deeper into addressing power relationships in the organisations themselves. In order to address the deep roots of stereotyping, paternalism, ‘othering’, transactionalism, white supremacy, ethnocentrism and racism in GD communications, critical global citizenship education (GCE) or anti-racism approaches are also needed. When guided by critical and dcolonial pedagogies and critical race theory focused on systemic change, these approaches support critical engagement and action around ethical GD communications at all levels. In short, the research shows the need to put critical learning at the heart of GD communications’ practice through the development of INGO critical learning strategies, which are well-resourced and supported by organisational management and Dóchas.

Item Type:	Monograph (Project Report)
Keywords:	Critical Learning; Ethical Global Development Communications; INGOs;
Academic Unit:	Faculty of Social Sciences > International Development
Item ID:	19237
Depositing User:	Eilish Dillon
Date Deposited:	03 Dec 2024 10:03
Publisher:	Maynooth University
Funders:	Irish Research Council New Foundations grant
URI:
Use Licence:	This item is available under a Creative Commons Attribution Non Commercial Share Alike Licence (CC BY-NC-SA). Details of this licence are available here

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