"Moving beyond the U.S.-Eurocentric paradigm of communication theory, this handbook broadens the intellectual horizons of the discipline by highlighting underrepresented, especially non-Western, theorists and theories, and identifies key issues and challenges for future scholarship. Showcasing diver...se perspectives, the handbook facilitates active engagement in different cultural traditions and theoretical orientations that are global in scope but local in effect. It begins by exploring past efforts to diversify the field, continuing on to examine theoretical concepts, models, and principles rooted in local cumulative wisdom. It does not limit itself to the mass-interpersonal communication divide, but rather seeks to frame theory as global and inclusive in scope. The book is intended for communication researchers and advanced students, with relevance to scholars with an interest in theory within information science, library science, social and cross-cultural psychology, multicultural education, social justice and social ethics, international relations, development studies, and political science." (Publisher) more

"This chapter presents an overview of non-Western communication theories for cross-cultural and intercultural research. The chapter specifically focuses on selected Afrocentric and Asiacentric theories of communication because they represent communication theories whose ideas and insights spring fro...m indigenous cumulative wisdom of non-Western cultural traditions. The chapter first explicates the significance and scope of non-Western communication theories and then reviews a total of seventeen theories within Afrocentric and Asiacentric communication scholarship. The indigenous theories under review are classified into three philosophical categories: 1. six theories predicated on Asian ontological worldviews; 2. four theories derived from African and Asian epistemological foundations; and 3. seven theories guided by African and Asian axiological parameters. The present chapter concludes by discussing future challenges of non-Western communication theorizing." (Abstract) more