Universidad Politécnica de Madrid (UPM) has published the doctoral thesis of UPS President Javier Herran, titled "Modelo de integración del conocimiento-acción a través del Proyecto de Comunicación para el Desarrollo: 25 años de experiencia en comunidades indígenas andinas en Ecuador", in its digital repository.

The research is on the integration of communication and development in intercultural contexts with a marginal population and the application of rural development policies. Father Herran writes and analyzes his work during 25 years in Ecuadorian indigenous communities. 

This research, which was directed by Dr. Adolfo Cazorla, PhD, is part of his doctoral thesis at Escuela Técnica Superior de Ingenieros Agrónomos of UPM. The graduation ceremony will be held on January 28th, 2016 in the city of Madrid. 

Father Herran explained how the model in Latin America during the postwar is present in several rural development programs which evolve and extend with visions centered in people and their multiple conceptions of development. According to him, understanding development from a cultural and anthropological perspective in Latin America, allows radio communication as a means for persuasion, socialization and appropriation of knowledge and participation in order to agree on activities.

"Activism in the 70's and 80's created a number of considerable experiences. Most of them are present today, but due to digitalized societies and environmental priorities, they are different from those first experiences centered in endogenous rural development" said Father Herran.

The research presents flexible methodologies that are open to creativity where "communication is open and requires a common language which is created through social learning"
The proposal applies the principles of Workin with People and is presented thorugh his experience in the Casa Campesina Cayambe in the communication project for development. This type of project joins liberating practices and real cognitive methods which generates change with the help of the people. 

"Knowledge that explains reality without changing it, makes no sense for the poor" said Father Herran. He added that participatory communication as a means of social learning applied to processes of rural development integrates knowledge / action and incorporates new knowledge in people. 

Read the Thesis here