12/03/14
Dr. Connie Eigenmann, an associate professor of communication studies at Fort Hays State University, recently published "Electronic Communication in Developing Countries." It culminates more than 10 years of living and researching in the Sultanate of Oman, the Peoples' Republic of China, Pakistan and Thailand.

"The idea for the book came when I gained access into a difficult-to-reach culture in the Middle East, the Omani women," said Dr. Eigenmann, "This was the first research reflecting how electronic usage did not change entirely, but strengthened, the tight tribal communication patterns in place."

The 170-page paperback contains more countries, appendices, CIA maps and communication facts, statistical tables, figures, and an index. Research in Vol. 1 includes mixed methods of quantitative data collected between 2002 and 2014.

Collection methods include traditional survey, electronic survey, social networking site disbursion and translation in face-to-face interviewing of non-literate respondents. Internal research and board criteria in various institutions were met.

The research reflects the collaboration with several colleagues: Dr. Scott Robson, chair of the Department of Communication Studies, wrote the introduction and was co-author of Chapter 8 on Thailand; Dr. Pelgy Vaz, professor of sociology, was the co-author of Chapter 1 on her Fulbright trip to Brazilian favelas and contributed to the data collection of India, Chapter 3; Xinchen "Evelyna" Hou, a graduate student majoring in communications, was co-author of Chapter 6 on South Africa; and undergraduate research experience students Nickolas Kinder, Garnett special student majoring in political science, and Melissa Guiboa, a junior majoring in nursing. Dr. Trisha Capansky of the University of Tennessee-Martin co-authored Chapter 7 on South Sudan and wrote the Further Direction chapter.

Volumes 2 and 3 of the three-part series are currently in the works and are to be published in 2015 and 2017. Current work in the COMM 601, Persuasion 602 Intercultural Communication, and 800 Contemporary Theories in Communication taught by Eigenmann are producing more country-specific research.