The Handbook of Communication in Africa: Theory, Research, and Praxis
Title: The Handbook of Communication in Africa: Theory, Research, and Praxis
Co-editor: Stacey Connaughton
Publisher: Routledge
Publication Date: March 5, 2026
About the Book: This handbook maps the field of communication studies as it relates specifically to African societies. Rather than presenting a single argument like a traditional monograph, it brings together multiple researchers to examine how communication theory, research, and real-world practice intersect across the continent. The handbook argues that understanding communication in Africa requires moving beyond Western-centric theories and instead centering African perspectives, histories, and cultural contexts.
About the co-editor: Stacey L. Connaughton (Ph.D., The University of Texas at Austin) is a Professor in the Brian Lamb School of Communication and the Director of the Purdue Policy Research Institute in Purdue’s Discovery Park. Her research examines leadership and multi-stakeholder organizing, most recently in the context of political violence prevention initiatives. Dr. Connaughton’s work has been supported by the National Science Foundation, USAID, the Carnegie Corporation, the Russell Sage Foundation, the Ford Motor Company, and the Indiana Department of Transportation, and she has secured more than $3 million in gift funds. She is the recipient of several teaching awards, Purdue’s 2017 Faculty Engaged Scholar Award, the 2020 Purdue Provost’s Graduate Mentor Award, and Purdue’s 2018 Trailblazer Award. Most recently, she was appointed by President Chiang as the Vice-Chair of the Purdue@DC Council.