Mass Communication, as a discipline, is a thriving field. A number of universities in Pakistan are offering undergraduate and graduate level courses for students who wish to excel their knowledge in this particular subject. Inherently, the field is exciting and has two clear strands of education: (i) professional track-for those who wish to continue media studies as a practical field of journalism, and (ii) research track-this one is for individuals who aim at exploring the intricacies, technicalities, and processes of communication, be it human communication, mass communication, intercultural/international communication or any other broader dimension of this field. The latter category specifically prepares individuals to contribute in the generation of knowledge both inside and outside academia.
Here, I’ll specifically outline the issues related to the growth and development of research in communication in Pakistan. Mass Media as a profession has numerous problems in Pakistan and some of them are already highlighted by a Woodrow Wilson scholars (Huma Yusuf) in her publications. Similarly, a number of scholars (Noman Ahmed, Pervez Hoodbhoy) have also traced problems related to research in natural and social sciences. For this particular essay, however, I specifically want to bring forward issues in mass communication research. Being an underdeveloped subject, the studies of communications in Pakistan need moderate restructuring and government’s focus for institutional development.
Cognizant of the fact that research in communications is essential for maintaining checks and balances on media functioning and overseeing the effects of media contents, a large number of individuals delve into research studies related to communications every year. Although the majority of these individuals belong to academia, some advertising agencies and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) also demand research, mainly to assess consumer behaviors in the case of former and to see how media impact our lives for the latter. Unfortunately, the majority of research studies that are produced in academic settings lack the rigor of analysis, the validity and applicability of research findings, and its relevance/recognition in international settings.
Having recent American educational experience, my current teaching position in Pakistani academia has enabled me to have a comparative opinion on the standing of teaching and research in communications. The research in this particular field is rudimentary in Pakistan and needs many modifications. Although there may be many reasons for this feeble state of knowledge in research and theory in the country, essentially the majority of scholars lack wherewithal and necessary intellectual savvy to produce robust, well-built, and sound information. The pressure of producing a certain number of publications for faculty’s promotions in educational institutions also adds insult to injury. This is one of the many factors that implicitly deters faculty to engage in research activities that can produce meaningful content in the advancement of knowledge.
Having no or little motivation for research, the majority students opt for thesis and dissertation writing only to fulfill their institutional demands
Having no or little motivation for research, the majority students opt for thesis and dissertation writing only to fulfill their institutional demands wherein writing a thesis is a capstone degree requirement. The process of writing is fraught with finding shortcuts, falsifying data to save time and energy, and sometimes even the infringement of copyrights. While having students who tend to maneuver the existing shortcomings to their own advantage is not unusual in other countries, the overall unwieldy environment does not let serious, committed, and bright students-if any-to take part in knowledge production.
Generally, faculty members, researchers, and individuals who pursue their higher studies in the field of communication appear to be oblivious to the leading forums of their field wherein they can share, impart, disseminate, and publish their scholarly works. Similarly, graduate students usually are not apprised of the most significant and prestigious journals of the field. Even individuals-both faculty and graduate students-who develop their prowess in the production techniques of media studies such as documentaries, video projects, soundscapes, and web-texts, etc. are not familiar with the options of publishing their works. Consequently, there is no strong motivation or competition in the field to produce or generate works that are scholarly rich, expand the knowledge, and make a difference by altering the status quo.
This is not to say that there is absolutely no solid research in the field of communication from Pakistan. There are a handful of fine intellectuals-albeit the majority of them do not have disciplinary training of communication-who have contributed remarkable scholarly pieces in this field. Thus, this fact questions the strength and validity of teaching practices of research in the academic programs of our universities. While describing the state of public sector universities in Pakistan, Pervez Hoodbhoy, in Education and the State: Fifty Years of Pakistan argued that a competent and accomplished professor in a department is like a ‘towering figure,’ who can be a source of motivation for junior fellows and students. Unfortunately, the field of communication lacks such figure-an intellectual who is of international academic stature, a prolific writer, and an avid researcher.
Another issue that intensifies the problems of quality research in communication is the absence of multiplicity of ideas, and an interdisciplinary approach in the study of research questions. The discipline of communication essentially demands a broader focus in terms of topic selection, research design, theoretical apparatus, and philosophical debates. By contrast, the majority research studies in our universities during the last two decades bear findings on repetitive topics and commonplace issues that are the corollary of inappropriate research designs and perfunctory reviews of already existing literature. The elements of novelty and variety are rare. Academic discussions, debates, and interactions in the form of colloquia or reading groups also add to the rigor of a program and the overall strength of a discipline. That, too, is missing or minimal in many academic programs.
Pakistani media is dynamic and vibrant. It has shown remarkable progress in the last two decades. But the media in Pakistan has enormous problems as well. These problems can never be addresses in the absence of a sound and robust culture of research. Our academic institutions, where research is supposedly nurtured, thus, need revitalizing and invigorating efforts on individual and institutional levels.
The writer is a Fulbright scholar and teaches Communications at Forman Christian College, Lahore