UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH AFRICA
Department of Communication Science
COM1511
Principles of Decolonial Communication
Assignment 1 – Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: 323799
Due Date: 26 March 2026, 20:00
Marks: 50 (contributes 20% to final mark)
Learning Units: 1, 2, 3 and 5
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of COM1511
,UNISA | COM1511 Principles of Decolonial Communication – Assignment 1
Contents
Introduction 3
1 Learning Unit 1: Introducing Communication 4
1.1 Question 1.1: The African Perspective of Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.1.1 1.1.1 The African Perspective Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.1.2 1.1.2 Types of Communication Illustrating the African Perspective . . . . 5
1.2 Question 1.2: The Shannon-Weaver Model – Seven Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3 Question 1.3: Two Types of Communication from the African Perspective . . . . 8
2 Learning Unit 2: Listening and Hearing 9
2.1 Question 2.1: Occurrences of Listening and Hearing in the Scenario . . . . . . . . 9
2.1.1 2.1.1 Occurrences of Hearing in the Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1.2 2.1.2 Occurrences of Listening in the Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1.3 2.1.3 Nature and Characteristics of Listening and Hearing . . . . . . . . . 10
2.1.4 2.1.4 Personal Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 Learning Unit 2: Intrapersonal Communication and Perception 11
3.1 Question 3.1: Type of Communication – Negative Thoughts Before a Meeting . . 11
3.2 Question 3.2: How Culture Influences Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2.1 3.2.1 Western Cultural Influences on Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2.2 3.2.2 African Cultural Influences on Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4 Learning Unit 3: Media, Framing, and Agenda Setting 14
4.1 Question 4.1: Main Issue and Media Priming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
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, UNISA | COM1511 Principles of Decolonial Communication – Assignment 1
4.2 Question 4.2: Framing, Missing Voices, and Alternative Framing . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.1 4.2.1 How the Story is Framed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.2 4.2.2 Prioritised and Missing Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.3 4.2.3 Alternative Framing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5 Learning Unit 5: Decolonial Communication Concepts 17
5.1 Question 5.1: Agenda Setting Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5.2 Question 5.2: De-centring and Re-centring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.3 Question 5.3: Indigenous Knowledge Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.4 Question 5.4: Intergenerational Trauma Barriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6 Barriers to Communication and How to Overcome Them 21
6.1 Question 6.1: Four Barriers to Communication in the Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Conclusion 24
Reference List 25
Page 2 of 26
Department of Communication Science
COM1511
Principles of Decolonial Communication
Assignment 1 – Semester 1, 2026
Unique Number: 323799
Due Date: 26 March 2026, 20:00
Marks: 50 (contributes 20% to final mark)
Learning Units: 1, 2, 3 and 5
Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements of COM1511
,UNISA | COM1511 Principles of Decolonial Communication – Assignment 1
Contents
Introduction 3
1 Learning Unit 1: Introducing Communication 4
1.1 Question 1.1: The African Perspective of Communication . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.1.1 1.1.1 The African Perspective Defined . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 4
1.1.2 1.1.2 Types of Communication Illustrating the African Perspective . . . . 5
1.2 Question 1.2: The Shannon-Weaver Model – Seven Elements . . . . . . . . . . . . 6
1.3 Question 1.3: Two Types of Communication from the African Perspective . . . . 8
2 Learning Unit 2: Listening and Hearing 9
2.1 Question 2.1: Occurrences of Listening and Hearing in the Scenario . . . . . . . . 9
2.1.1 2.1.1 Occurrences of Hearing in the Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1.2 2.1.2 Occurrences of Listening in the Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9
2.1.3 2.1.3 Nature and Characteristics of Listening and Hearing . . . . . . . . . 10
2.1.4 2.1.4 Personal Examples . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 10
3 Learning Unit 2: Intrapersonal Communication and Perception 11
3.1 Question 3.1: Type of Communication – Negative Thoughts Before a Meeting . . 11
3.2 Question 3.2: How Culture Influences Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11
3.2.1 3.2.1 Western Cultural Influences on Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
3.2.2 3.2.2 African Cultural Influences on Perception . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 12
4 Learning Unit 3: Media, Framing, and Agenda Setting 14
4.1 Question 4.1: Main Issue and Media Priming . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14
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, UNISA | COM1511 Principles of Decolonial Communication – Assignment 1
4.2 Question 4.2: Framing, Missing Voices, and Alternative Framing . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.1 4.2.1 How the Story is Framed . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.2 4.2.2 Prioritised and Missing Perspectives . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15
4.2.3 4.2.3 Alternative Framing . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 16
5 Learning Unit 5: Decolonial Communication Concepts 17
5.1 Question 5.1: Agenda Setting Theory . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 17
5.2 Question 5.2: De-centring and Re-centring . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.3 Question 5.3: Indigenous Knowledge Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 18
5.4 Question 5.4: Intergenerational Trauma Barriers . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19
6 Barriers to Communication and How to Overcome Them 21
6.1 Question 6.1: Four Barriers to Communication in the Scenario . . . . . . . . . . . 21
Conclusion 24
Reference List 25
Page 2 of 26
