Call for Papers 50th Edition | "Rural Communication in the 21st Century: Modes, Media, and Genres in Transition.A Tribute to Juan Díaz Bordenave on the Centennial of His Birth (1926–2026)"

Introduction

For the purpose of theoretical genealogies, among other objectives, the trajectory of categories, concepts, and notions in communication theory requires distinguishing between intellectuals based on their roles as precursors or initiators, inventors or creators, and exegetes or continuators of the constitutive lexicon and reasoning within each discipline or field of scientific knowledge. The first group, often underrecognized thinkers, at least suggest ideas that the second group, generally acknowledged as the creators of communication theory, later assume and elaborate upon in detail. Subsequently, continuators of an already established line of thought reinterpret the modalities and scope of each theoretical language and its associated conceptual systems (Carniglia, 2010).

In this context, Juan Díaz Bordenave (1926–2026) should be recognized for his contributions to the field of social communication studies as both a precursor and an inventor of Latin American rural communication theory.

A Well-Deserved Recognition for a Founding Figure in Latin American Communication Theory

Juan Díaz Bordenave (1926–2026), a Paraguayan by nationality but a Latin American at heart, was born in Encarnación, Itapúa, Paraguay, on March 23, 1926, and passed away in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, where he lived for many years, on November 22, 2012. In his youth, he studied Agronomy at the National School of Agriculture in Casilda, Argentina, before traveling to the United States, where he earned a master's degree in Agricultural Journalism from the University of Wisconsin (1955) and later, in 1966, obtained a Ph.D. in Communication from Michigan State University. His most significant professional experience was as a specialist in agricultural communication at the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA) between 1956 and 1980. During this time, he began documenting his experiences, which he later shared in articles and books that quickly became integral to the Latin American communication studies agenda.

In 2002, he returned to Paraguay and was appointed rector of the Universidad Teko Arandú. He later played a key role in establishing the first master's program in Communication for Development and Social Change at the National University of the East. His political engagement led him to serve as one of the Delegates of the Truth and Justice Commission of Paraguay, where he was chosen to represent Civil Society at the recommendation of the Communications Sector.

Among his many works are Estrategias de enseñanza-aprendizaje, Comunicación y sociedad, Participación y sociedad, Planificación y comunicación, Qué es la comunicación rural, Alem dos meios e mensagens, Educación a distancia: fundamentos y métodos, Educación rural en el tercer mundo, and Communication and Rural Development, among many others. In 2012, he was the keynote speaker at the ALAIC Congress in Montevideo. More recently, in 2023, the academic community honored his legacy with the publication Por la senda de Juan (Oscar R. Cáceres Jimenez, ed., Asunción, Edit. Arandurã, 2023).

Bordenave's contributions to communication theory are complemented by his work in pedagogy and education, consistently seeking an integrative and comprehensive approach to learning and highlighting the role of active listening in transforming communication from an individual process into a genuine act of connection and shared understanding.

His book Comunicação Rural (1983), initially published in Portuguese, was particularly pioneering, contributing to the development and future trajectory of a highly fertile research area on communication in rural Latin America. Concerned with providing clear yet profound definitions, the book alternates between theoretical reflection and practical examples of how information, relationships, and knowledge function in rural settings. The text quickly became a reference for communication professionals and agricultural specialists eager to understand and navigate the complexities of their field. Even four decades after its publication, it remains an essential reference in discussions on rural communication studies.

Thematic Focus of the Special Edition

The theory and practice of rural communication are grounded in an understanding and appropriation of the symbolic, relational, material, and situational dimensions of the rich cultural heritage of humanity, which encompasses diverse communicational modes, media, and genres (Carniglia, 2023).

From the inception of communication studies, an entire subfield of research has examined the structure, dynamics, and functions of rural communication in both central and peripheral countries, employing both conventional and emerging theories and methodologies from the social sciences, cultural studies, and human sciences. Some publications, such as Cimadevilla and Carniglia (2004), have compiled and systematized available knowledge in specialized international spaces.

Rural communication is an applied field of knowledge that responds to the continuities and transformations in rural settings, as well as to the participation of communication professionals alongside other specialists in rural development processes led by public, private, and community organizations within the framework of public policies and other specific initiatives (Díaz Bordenave, 1984; Cimadevilla, 2008; Carniglia & Emiliozzi, 2020). In this regard, various ALAIC research groups provide a crucial platform for fruitful dialogue between basic and applied research in the field.

Notably, rural communities in different countries and regions have undergone significant economic, social, political, cultural, and environmental transformations in recent decades. These changes include the globalization of agriculture, advancements in technology, increased demand for sustainable food production, shifts in rural poverty, urban migration, and concerns about the environmental impact of agribusiness. Organizations such as the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and the Inter-American Institute for Cooperation on Agriculture (IICA), where Bordenave contributed, are among the key international institutions monitoring these rural transformations and recognizing the vital role of communication professionals in fostering sustainable rural development across technological, economic, social, political, cultural, and environmental dimensions.

Some of these shifts have led to revisions in social theories about rurality, challenging traditional intellectual premises, such as the longstanding dichotomy between rural and urban spaces (Cimadevilla & Carniglia, 2010), and questioning the outdated notion of rural isolation, which has been significantly reshaped by digitalization. Satellite technology now plays a role in climate forecasting, GPS regulates agricultural machinery, livestock auctions are broadcast on television, mobile phones provide previously unavailable rural services, computers are integrated into rural schools, and satellite television reaches villages across nearly all of Latin America (Carniglia, 2011; 2012).

 Key Questions for This Special Edition

 Given these conditions, a systematic and updated review of international research on rural communication is necessary. In this regard, prestigious scientific publications with international reach, such as ALAIC's academic journals, are essential in addressing the following questions:

 Who are the precursors, inventors, and continuators in rural communication research at national and international levels?

• What research lines are recognized as fundamental in the study of communication and rurality?
• What key milestones have shaped the theoretical and applied trajectory of this field?
• What are the major continuities and changes in rural communication research across different countries and regions?
• How have transformations in rural areas influenced the theories and methodologies of rural communication research?
• How do contemporary models of communication for rural development interpret the current conditions of rural communities?
• What empirical data illustrate the evolving landscape of rural communication in the digital age?
• What knowledge gaps present key challenges for future research?

References

Carniglia, E.  (2010). “Ciencias sociales del interior, interior de las ciencias sociales”, en CARNIGLIA, E. y A: BRANDOLIN (Comps.). Las ciencias sociales en el interior, el interior de las ciencias sociales, Río Cuarto, UNRC. pp. 17-33.
Carniglia E. (2023). “Communication for All in the 21st century. Inequalities as development dilemmas in Latin America” En: SERVAES, J. y M. YUSHA’U (Eds.). SDG18 - Communication for All. Volume 2: Regional perspectives & special cases. Switzerland, Palgrave Macmillan. pp. 55-79.
Carniglia E. y A. Emiliozzi (2020). Territorios latinoamericanos. Ciudades, ruralidades y políticas de desarrollo. Río Cuarto, UniRío.
Carniglia, E. (2011). Las ruralidades de la prensa. Agronegocio, tecnología y agrarismo, Río Cuarto, UNRC-FCH.
Carniglia, E. (2012) De labradores y campos de papel. Recepción de prensa agraria por agricultores familiares. Saarbrücken, Editorial Académica Española.
Cimadevilla, G. (2002). “Communicating the sustainable: virtuality, risk and collective actions”. Embrapa Brasil. First l Conference on Organic Beef Cattle Production September, 02 to October,15 - 2002.
Cimadevilla, G. (2008). “Relatos, informes y ensayos. Un recorrido por los estudios de comunicación rural” y “Las transformaciones del mapa occult-tural”. En: GUMUCIO-DAGRON, A.; TUFTE, T. (comp.). Antología de comunicación para el cambio social: Lecturas históricas y contemporáneas. Edit. CFSC, Págs. 1068. Versión castellana, Plural Edit. La Paz. Versión inglesa: Communication for Social Change Anthology: Historical and Contemporary Readings. Edit. CFSC, Págs. 1068. New Jersey.
Cimadevilla, G. (2023). “Rurbanidad y Tic. Un rompecabezas de pocas piezas”, en POGGI, M. y CARRERAS, X. Usos y representaciones de las TIC en el agro. Buenos Aires, Ed. Teseo.
Cimadevilla G. y E. Carniglia (2004). Comunicación, ruralidad y desarrollo. Mitos, paradigmas y dispositivos del cambio. Buenos Aires, INTA.
Cimadevilla G. y E. Carniglia (2010). Relatos sobre la rurbanidad. Río Cuarto, UNRC.
Díaz Bordenave, J. O qué e comunicação rural. Rio de Janeiro, Ed. Brasiliense.
Tamargo B. y E. Carniglia. (2019). Maestras y TIC en escuelas ruralizadas. Claves del acceso en la pampa cordobesa. Río Cuarto, UniRío.

DEADLINES FOR THE EDITION
Submission of full articles through the journal system: until August 30, 2025

Publication issue: 2025.3

Publication forecast: January 2026

GUIDELINES FOR AUTHORS

Texts must follow the journal's rules, which are available at: http://revista.pubalaic.org/index.php/alaic/about/submissions.

This issue of the journal will also receive texts for the “Free Articles” section.

DOSSIER COORDINATORS:

Dr. Edgardo Carniglia

Contact: ecarniglia@hum.unrc.edu.ar

Universidad Nacional de Río Cuarto, Argentina.

 

Dr. Gustavo Cimadevilla

Contact: gcimadevilla@yahoo.com.ar

National University of Río Cuarto, Argentina.