"While there is a near unanimity on the need for participation, there is as yet no such agreement on the type and degree of participation to be adopted in projects. One thing that has never been doubted is the fact that local people have not been accorded their rightful recognition and respect by mo
...
st intervention agencies, hence the failure of some projects. So, how does a project that seeks to address issues of citizenship, participation, and accountability using a variety of participatory methodologies fare, especially against the backdrop of a multiethnic, multi-religious, and politically complex society like Nigeria? This paper examines the use of these methodologies, highlighting issues drawn out, and the successes and limitations of the findings for future research. Effective as the methods appeared to be, there were many questions and issues unanswered beyond the immediate mandate of the project, which beg for attention in order for the communities to move towards genuine development and stop open display of sometimes misplaced aggression." (Abstract)
more
"Esta obra parte de la idea de que sin comunicación no es posible el desarrollo, pues ésta compromete de manera participativa a todos los sectores que conforman nuestras sociedades. A pesar de la existencia de innumerables medios masivos, locales y globales, y de nuevas tecnologías de la informac
...
ión y comunicación, nuestras sociedades no están comunicadas entre sí y la información que se produce no circula para conducirnos hacia un mejor desarrollo. Por ello, ahora que la gobernanza democrática es el eje fundamental de las agendas de desarrollo y que se subraya la necesidad de construir una nueva democracia de ciudadanos y ciudadanas, en este libro se analiza el aporte de la Comunicación para el Desarrollo en esta tarea. La autora realiza un recorrido a través de la utilización de la comunicación en los distintos paradigmas de desarrollo y recopila los principales aportes académicos de los últimos años, especialmente en América Latina. Además, se exponen diferentes áreas para trabajar en la construcción de ciudadanía desde la comunicación y se recopilan experiencias prácticas de trabajo conjunto entre gobierno, sociedad civil y medios de comunicación que pueden inspirar la labor de organismos de cooperación, ONG, policy makers y periodistas." (Descripción de la casa editorial)
more
"This article analyses the importance of participation in development discourse and examines the effectiveness of theatre as a participatory technique and communication channel. It considers how theatre forms and aesthetics have potential power to produce individual and collective knowledge and alte
...
r perceptions. It examines community as a unit of analysis and the role it can play in selfdetermination, considering existing power structures. It is placed in the context of Jana Sanskriti, which aims to help communities learn how to use theatre as a language for reflection, exploration, and analysis in order to articulate new direction and bring about transformation." (Abstract)
more
"This is a practical and well structured manual aiming to use self-evaluation for organisational learning. The book consists of four parts. "The evaluation context" introduces the role of monitoring, evaluation and impact assessment as part of the project cycle logic. "The evaluation process" descri
...
bes steps to be taken in designing and implementing an evaluation. The third part, "evaluation tools", gives a practical insight to major evaluation methods like SWOT analysis, questionnaires (and their design), focus groups or case studies. The fourth and main part provides evaluation guidelines for training courses, newsletters, websites, small libraries and resource centres, online communities, rural radios, databases and selective dissemination of information services." (CAMECO Update 1-2011)
more
"Community media represent a crucial input in development processes, playing an important role in democratisation, social struggles, and awareness raising. But they often face difficulties on the financial and legal levels due to the constraints created by national media laws. This paper shows the l
...
ink between community communication and human development. It provides suggestions for development advocates and communities regarding advocacy for a policy environment supportive of community media. It reflects on the licensing process and financial sustainability of the projects. In demonstrating how practically media policy can be reshaped to meet civil society needs, two case studies are considered: the UK, where the communication regulator has opened a process to license community radios; and Brazil, where thousands of ‘illegal’ community stations are facing repression, but where the regulator has inaugurated a consultation process with practitioners." (Abstract)
more
"Media Messages and Public Health addresses the full range of methodological and conceptual issues involved in content analysis research, specifically focused on public health-related messages and behaviors. Uniquely tailored to the challenges faced by content researchers interested in the study of
...
public health topics, coverage includes: conceptual and methodological foundations involved in the practice of content analysis research used to examine public health issues; measurement challenges posed by the broad range of media; use of content analysis across multiple media types; the potential for individual differences in audience interpretation of message content; case studies that examine public health issues in the media to illustration the decisions that are made when developing content analysis studies. The volume concludes with a set of guidelines for optimal content analysis research, and suggests ways in which the field can accommodate new technologies and new ways of using media. Developed for researchers in communication, media, and public health, this unique resource demonstrates how the variety of decisions researchers make along the way allows the exploration of traditions, assumptions and implications for each varying alternative and ultimately advances the science of content analysis research." (Publisher description)
more
"El presente estudio se propone describir y analizar las representaciones de la pobreza en los medios gráficos de 8 países de Centroamérica y el Caribe. Para tal fin se ha tomado como referencia un período de 6 meses, entre abril y septiembre de 2008, considerando el cual se realizó un relevami
...
ento de las noticias que hacen referencia, directa o indirectamente, a la problemática de la pobreza en los siguientes diarios según países [...] El discurso narrativo provee principios de inteligibilidad de la realidad histórica que resultan constitutivos de la propia comprensión humana del pasado y su contemporaneidad. Lo propio del relato es la posibilidad de ordenar una serie cronológica de eventos en una trama cuyo tema será la confi guración de un conjunto de relaciones entre agentes, acciones y acontecimientos." (Presentación del estudio, página 7)
more
"The biennial Digital Review of Asia Pacific is a comprehensive guide to the state-of-practice and trends in information and communication technologies for development (ICTD) in Asia Pacific. This fourth edition (2009-2010) features 30 economies and four subregional groupings. The chapters provide u
...
pdated information on ICT infrastructure, industries, content and services, key initiatives, enabling policies, regulation, education and capacity building, open source and R&D initiatives, as well as key ICTD challenges in each of the economies covered." (Publisher description)
more
"For journalists, REDD+ is a tricky story to cover for a number of reasons. 1. Forest statistics are often unreliable or out of date. Figures need to be carefully checked, compared to other statistics and analysed for their real significance. Sources also need to be assessed. 2. REDD+’s final shap
...
e is unclear. For example, how it will function and be financed have not yet been agreed. 3. The wording of a forest agreement may be vague, open to interpretation or incomprehensible to your audience [...] 4. Forestry policies vary enormously around the world. Forestry specialists often disagree, for example, over how REDD+ schemes should be funded. 5. There are differences of interest between and within countries. Some governments may believe that a market approach to curbing deforestation will be most effective, while others argue in favour of state control over a natural resource. National governments may favour policies that indigenous peoples oppose, while social activists and logging companies may advocate completely different approaches. 6. Covering the negotiations is demanding. Very few people are directly engaged in the discussions. So it is difficult to obtain interviews that provide personal insight and quotes as well as accurate, up-to-date information on the progress of talks. 7. Talking to directly affected forest communities is difficult." (Page 6)
more