Narratives and New Voices from India: Cases of Community Development for Social Change

Description

This volume focuses on indigenous knowledge in analyzing the traditions and communication processes within various communities of Northeast India. It deals with the historical and theoretical trajectory of communication for social change as a discipline, bringing together a series of interesting case studies from the sphere of meaningful learning where individuals and communities engage in a cooperative and dialogic environment to promote change at multiple levels. The case studies cover a range of media - radio, video, ‘forum theatre’ - and considers both practitioners and audiences. The authors’ focus on narration, diversity, participation, and interaction is timely, and expands knowledge relating to these areas by linking them in new ways. It is of interest to an academic audience as well as practitioners researching and working in areas of education, communication, community development, and social work. Preface Acknowledgments Contents Editors and Contributors Acronyms 1 Introduction References Part I Community-Centred Development and Shifting Paradigms 2 Community-Centric Approaches and Changing Paradigms: A Perspective from India 2.1 Community as the Focus: Early Formulations 2.2 Evolving Paradigms 2.3 Constructing the Community in India and Early Radio 2.4 Mass Media and the Multiplier Dimension 2.5 Radio Rural Forums and Community Orientation 2.6 Push for Television and Nation’s Dilemma 2.7 Shift and Pressures: Struggle to Retain Community Orientation 2.8 ICT4D and Community Orientation 2.9 By Way of Concluding References 3 The Relevance of Rabindranath Tagore and Paulo Freire for Participatory Communication 3.1 Rabindranath Tagore’s Philosophy of Education 3.2 Paolo Freire’s Conscientization Methodology 3.3 The Relevance of Participatory Communication 3.4 Challenges to Participatory Communication for Social Change 3.5 Conclusion References Part II Community Voices and Narratives 4 “CGNet Swara Encourages Us to Participate and Bring About Change”: Analyzing the Role of Media and Development 4.1 Introduction 4.2 Literature Review and Theoretical Framework 4.2.1 Defining Development Communication 4.2.2 Theories of Development Communication 4.2.3 Citizen Journalism as Development Communication 4.2.4 Development and Communication in India 4.2.5 Citizen Journalism in India 4.2.6 Setting the Context: CGNET Swara 4.3 Research Methodology 4.3.1 Observation and Interviews 4.4 Research Findings 4.4.1 Citizen Journalism and Development 4.4.2 Addressing Basic Amenities 4.4.3 Exposing Corruption 4.4.4 Human Rights 4.4.5 Participation and Social Change 4.4.6 Motivations for Participation 4.4.7 The Official Viewpoint 4.5 Discussion and Conclusion References 5 Women Journalists of Khabar Lahariya and Namaskar: Enabling Gendered Media Ecology in Rural India 5.1 Introduction 5.2 Gendered Media Ecology: Theoretical Intersections 5.3 Brief Introduction to the Case Studies 5.3.1 Khabar Lahariya 5.3.2 Namaskar 5.4 Women Journalists of Khabar Lahariya and Namaskar 5.5 Addressing Gender Issues in Content 5.6 Women as the Primary Readers 5.7 Conclusion References 6 Reinforcing Desia Culture Through Community Radio: A Cultural Analysis of Radio Dhimsa in Koraput, Odisha 6.1 Study Overview 6.2 Understanding Community, Culture and Community Media 6.3 Community Radio in India: Histories and Contemporary Scenes 6.4 Doing Cultural Analysis of Radio Dhimsa 6.5 Radio Dhimsa: Reinforcing the Desia Culture 6.6 Conclusion References 7 Samvidhan LIVE! Be a Jagrik—A Case Study of Effecting Social Change Through Constitutional Literacy 7.1 The Evolution of Samvidhan LIVE! 7.2 The Ideation of Samvidhan LIVE! 7.2.1 The Theoretical Framework 7.2.2 Theory of Social Change—Nurturing Youth to BE the Change 7.2.3 Create a 5th Space for the Youth 7.2.4 Empower the Youth with Constitutional Literacy 7.3 The Jagrik Pedagogical Framework 7.3.1 Experiential, Non-classroom Pedagogy 7.3.2 Game-Based Learning 7.4 The Design Framework of Jagrik 7.4.1 The Approach of the Game 7.4.2 The Methodology of the Game 7.5 The Impact of the Game 7.5.1 Growing Constitutional Literacy 7.5.2 The Jagriks: Effecting Social Change Through Constitutional Literacy 7.5.3 Growing Outreach of the Game 7.6 The Next Steps References 8 Simple Minds, Powerful Voices: Tradition and Transformation in the Patachitras of Bengal 8.1 Tryst with Scroll Paintings of Bengal 8.2 Patachitras and Patuas 8.2.1 The Paintings 8.2.2 The Patuas 8.2.3 Narrative Characteristics 8.3 Historical Reference to Scrolls 8.4 Discovering Bengal Patachitras as Agents of Revival: The Work of Gurusaday Dutt 8.5 Bridging the Gaps: Experiments in New Themes and Forms 8.6 Turning Point in Patachitra Art: Breaking Gender Barriers 8.7 Agencies of Social Change 8.8 Swarna Chitrakar: An Embodiment of Woman Empowerment 8.9 An Art with High Returns 8.10 Conclusion References Part III Community Voices of Northeast India: Practices in Development Process 9 Community Media Practices in Northeast India: Cases of Community Development Through Community Radio 9.1 Introduction 9.2 Community Newspapers and Magazines in Northeast India 9.3 Community Video in Northeast India 9.4 Community Radio in Northeast India 9.5 Community Development Through Community Radio: Case Studies 9.5.1 Case Study—I 9.5.2 Case Study—II 9.5.3 Case Study—III 9.5.4 Case Study—IV 9.6 Conclusion References 10 Visual Medium for Social Change in Northeast India Leveraging the Power of Youth in Conservation Action and Social Change 10.1 Youth and Northeast India 10.2 Why a Video Fellowship 10.3 Green Hub Project Idea 10.4 The Fellowship Pathway 10.5 Wide, Medium, and Close up—the Video Pedagogy 10.6 The Alumni Circle and the Web of Action 10.6.1 Forest Project Site 1: Wanmai Konyak, Changlangshu Village, Mon District, Nagaland 10.6.2 Forest Project Site 2: Serlibon Timungpi, Dongamukam, West Karbi Anglong, Assam 10.6.3 Fellows as Youth Environment Leaders in the Community 10.6.4 Case Study 1 10.6.5 Case Study 2 10.6.6 Fellows as Filmmakers 10.6.7 Environment Spokespersons and Catalysts for Change 10.6.8 Fellows as Forest Patrolling Staff 10.7 Video Archive—A Knowledge Resource 10.8 Conclusion References 11 Revitalizing the Language and Culture Through Community Radio: A Case Study of Hajong Community from Dhemaji District, Assam 11.1 Introduction 11.2 Community Media and Promotion of Linguistic Diversity 11.3 BCRS and Revitalizing of Hajong Language and Culture 11.4 Case Study of Hajong Community from Dhemaji District and BCRS 11.5 Conclusion References 12 Participatory Video Making and Community Children Reporters: A Case Study of “Pollution at Umshing” in Shillong, Meghalaya 12.1 Introduction 12.2 Participatory Video as an Empowering Tool 12.3 Children in Media Experiments (CHIME) 12.4 Community Children Reporters as Agents of Change 12.5 Case Study of Participatory Video: “Pollution at Umshing” 12.6 Impact and Change: “Pollution at Umshing” 12.7 Conclusion References 13 Traditional Health Practices in Northern Thailand, and Their Implications for Holistic Health Communication Abstract 13.1 Introduction 13.1.1 Background of Thai Traditional Health Practices 13.1.2 A Holistic Way to Tackle Health Issues 13.1.3 Thai Traditional Health Practices 13.1.4 Lanna Traditional Health Practices 13.2 Conclusion References Websites 14 Contribution of Traditional Medicine Toward Primary Health Care in Meghalaya 14.1 Introduction 14.2 Healthcare Services in the State 14.3 Contribution of Traditional Medicine Towards Primary Health Care in the State 14.4 Conclusion References Part IV Health Communication for Social Change 15 Nutrition Communication—Experiments, Experiences and Exasperation 15.1 Background 15.2 Rise of the Neo-Middle Class and Nutrition Transition 15.3 Nutrition Education and Communication 15.4 Information Dissemination, Knowledge Change and Paradigm Shift 15.5 Experiments and Experiences 15.6 Exasperations References 16 Infant and Young Child Feeding Practices and Poshan Abhiyaan: A Case Study from India 16.1 Introduction 16.2 IYCF in India: Present Scenario 16.2.1 Early Initiation of Breastfeeding 16.2.2 Exclusive Breastfeeding 16.2.3 Continued Breastfeeding 16.2.4 Complementary Feeding 16.3 Government Initiatives to Promote IYCF 16.3.1 Integrated Child Development Services (ICDS) 16.3.2 Poshan Abhiyaan 16.4 Conclusion and Recommendations References 17 Adolescent Health: Participation, Community, and Communication as the Key for RKSK Programs in Rural Gujarat 17.1 Introduction 17.2 Why Investing in Adolescent Health is Crucial 17.3 The Shift in Perspective for Addressing Adolescent Health 17.4 A Participatory Approach to Lead Community Interventions 17.5 RKSK: A Paradigm Shift in Health Promotion, Prevention, and Development Interventions 17.6 Field Study 17.7 Observation and Discussions from Literature and Field Insights 17.8 Peer-Led Interventions 17.8.1 Peer Educator (PE) Program 17.9 Adolescent Health Days 17.10 Performance on the 7Cs Criteria 17.11 Discussion and Recommendation 17.12 Conclusion References 18 Contemporary Challenges to Entertainment-Education: Health Narratives from the Hindi Language Show ‘Mai Kuch Bhi Kar Sakti Hoon’ 18.1 Introduction 18.2 Health Narratives: An Overview 18.3 Entertainment-Education and the Indian Experience 18.4 Contemporary Entertainment 18.5 An Ontological Struggle 18.6 Representational Biases and Gender Stereotypes 18.7 Discussion References 19 Agricultural Drudgery Reduction Among Tribal Women Through Science and Technology Communication in Tamil Nadu 19.1 Introduction 19.2 Earlier Studies 19.3 Methodology 19.4 Results and Analysis 19.5 Conclusion References 20 Responding to the Language of Violence: A Voluntary Organisation’s Assays in Development 20.1 Introduction 20.2 Health Challenges: Malaria to Mental Health 20.2.1 Include General Perspective: Health Challenges with Respect to Malaria and Mental Health 20.3 Sustainable Livelihoods: Weaving 20.4 Striking at the Roots of Violence 20.5 Conclusion References Afterword References