Communication for Social Change Thomas Tufte, Prof. Roskilde University Presentation given at Institute for Development Studies, University of Dar es Salaam, February 23rd 2012

Introduction CFSC – defining the field CFSC – defining the field CFSC – how to work strategically? CFSC – how to work strategically? Development Issues Development Issues Key players and their approaches Key players and their approaches Storytelling & edutainment Storytelling & edutainment Theoretical challenges Theoretical challenges Discussion Discussion

Defining the field Buzz for 5 minutes with your neighbour: What are three characteristics of communication interventions that articulate social change… Buzz for 5 minutes with your neighbour: What are three characteristics of communication interventions that articulate social change…

I have a Dream… Martin Luther King Capitol Hill, 1963

Communication for Social Change Definition CFSC is a process of public and private dialogue through which people themselves define who they are, what they need and how to get what they need in order to improve their own lives. It utilizes dialogue that leads to collective problem identification, decision making and community-based implementation of solutions to development issues (Ref:

Development Issues (1) where media and comm play a role Good Governance (transparency in decision-making and in internal and external communication) Good Governance (transparency in decision-making and in internal and external communication) Health Issues (HIV/AIDS prevention, life style changes, diabetes, nutrition) Health Issues (HIV/AIDS prevention, life style changes, diabetes, nutrition) Sustainable develpment and Climate Change Sustainable develpment and Climate Change Popular Education (social movements in Latin America, ie indegenous groups) Popular Education (social movements in Latin America, ie indegenous groups)

Development Issues (2) where media and comm play a role Human Rights Violations (campaigns, ie Amnesty International) Human Rights Violations (campaigns, ie Amnesty International) Conflict Resolution (theatre and sport in Burundi) Conflict Resolution (theatre and sport in Burundi) Trade (EU Sugar Policy: Oxfam Campaign) Trade (EU Sugar Policy: Oxfam Campaign) Cultural Heritage (reclaiming urban sites) Cultural Heritage (reclaiming urban sites)

Key players… Governments Governments UN/International governmental agencies UN/International governmental agencies INGOs/NGOs INGOs/NGOs Social Movements/TANs Social Movements/TANs North/South North/South Local/National/International/Transnational Local/National/International/Transnational

Approaches within Communication for Development Dissemination /Persuasion IECBCCUNAIDSCFSC Individual/Diffusion Structural Causes/ Participation Diversity of frameworks + diversity of strategies + multiplicity of interventions = Growth of the field = New conceptual approaches Convergence model No magic formula

Communicating for what? Development Support Communication (UN/FAO) Development Support Communication (UN/FAO) Development Communication (Los Banos/Quebral) Development Communication (Los Banos/Quebral) Behaviour Change Communication (Health) Behaviour Change Communication (Health) Information, Education and Communication Information, Education and Communication Participatory Communication Participatory Communication Alternative Comm (Latin American Scholars) Alternative Comm (Latin American Scholars) Communication for Development Communication for Development Communication for Empowerment (UNDP) Communication for Empowerment (UNDP) Communication for Social Change (RF) Communication for Social Change (RF) Comm for Social and Structurl Change (Servaes) Comm for Social and Structurl Change (Servaes) Comm for Social and Sustainable Change Comm for Social and Sustainable Change Social and Behaviour Change Comm (Wits) Social and Behaviour Change Comm (Wits) C4D (UNICEF) C4D (UNICEF)

The driving forces of communication for social change CFSC is horizontal and strengthens community bonds by amplifying the voices of the people who are poorest CFSC is horizontal and strengthens community bonds by amplifying the voices of the people who are poorest people within poor communities must be the protagonists for their own change and manage their own communication tools people within poor communities must be the protagonists for their own change and manage their own communication tools rather than focusing on persuasion and information dissemination, CFSCpromotes dialogue among equal voices, and debate and negotiations within communities rather than focusing on persuasion and information dissemination, CFSCpromotes dialogue among equal voices, and debate and negotiations within communities the results of the CFSC process go beyond individual behaviour and consider the influence of social norms, values, current policies, culture and the overall development context the results of the CFSC process go beyond individual behaviour and consider the influence of social norms, values, current policies, culture and the overall development context CFSC strives to strengthen cultural identity, trust, commitment, voice, ownership, community engagement and empowerment CFSC strives to strengthen cultural identity, trust, commitment, voice, ownership, community engagement and empowerment CFSC rejects the linear model of information transmission from a central sender to an individual receiver, and relies instead on a cyclical process of interactions focused on shared knowledge and collective action CFSC rejects the linear model of information transmission from a central sender to an individual receiver, and relies instead on a cyclical process of interactions focused on shared knowledge and collective action

Types of Social Change Outcome Indicators Leadership Degree and Equity of Participation Information Equity Collective Self-Efficacy Sense of Ownership Social Cohesion Social Norms

CFSC Indicators FEMINA HIP Leadership Setting agendas, strong individuals, role models Degree and Equity of ParticipationParticipation Information EquityVoice Collective Self-Efficacy Open talk Sense of Ownership Youth owning their agendas and acting upon them Social Cohesion Long term Social Norms Democratic values

Telling Stories, Changing Lives? (1) Compared with the reality which comes from being seen and heard, even the greatest forces of intimate life – the passions of the heart, the thoughts of the mind, the delights of the senses – lead to an uncertain, shadowy kind of existence unless and until they are transformed, deprivatized and deindividualized, as it were, into a shape to fit them for public appearance. The most current of such transformations occurs in storytelling… (Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition, 1958: 50) Compared with the reality which comes from being seen and heard, even the greatest forces of intimate life – the passions of the heart, the thoughts of the mind, the delights of the senses – lead to an uncertain, shadowy kind of existence unless and until they are transformed, deprivatized and deindividualized, as it were, into a shape to fit them for public appearance. The most current of such transformations occurs in storytelling… (Hannah Arendt, The Human Condition, 1958: 50)

Telling Stories, Changing Lives? (2) Storytelling is a copying strategy that involves making words stand for the world, and then, by manipulating them, changing one’s experience of the world. By constructing, relating and sharing stories, people contrive to restore viability to their relationship with others, redressing a bias toward autonomy when it has been lost, and affirming collective ideals in the fact of disparate experiences. It is not that speech is a replacement for action: rather that it is a supplement, to be exploited when action is impossible or confounded (Michael Jackson, 2002: 18) Storytelling is a copying strategy that involves making words stand for the world, and then, by manipulating them, changing one’s experience of the world. By constructing, relating and sharing stories, people contrive to restore viability to their relationship with others, redressing a bias toward autonomy when it has been lost, and affirming collective ideals in the fact of disparate experiences. It is not that speech is a replacement for action: rather that it is a supplement, to be exploited when action is impossible or confounded (Michael Jackson, 2002: 18)

The Strategic Roles of Telling Stories 1. Making the private public 2. A vital human strategy to sustain a sense of agency when confronted with disempowering circumstances

Strategic Aims of Edutainment Articulate processes of building trust and raising awareness Articulate processes of building trust and raising awareness Articulate the voices of marginalized groups Articulate the voices of marginalized groups Facilitate social mobilization Facilitate social mobilization Contribute to the creation of an enabling environment where the ‘ordinary citizen’ can feel a sense of agency Contribute to the creation of an enabling environment where the ‘ordinary citizen’ can feel a sense of agency

Comunication for development1st Generation2nd Generation3rd Generation Definition of the problemLack of informationLack of information and skills Structural inequality Power relations Social conflict Notion of cultureCulture as obstacleCulture as allyCulture as ’way of life’ Notion of catalyistExternal change agentExternal catalyst in partnership with the community Internal community member Notion of educationBanking pedagogyLife skills Didactics Liberating pedagogy Notion of audienceSegments Target groups Passive Participatory Target groups Active Citizens Active Three Generations of Storytelling (1)

Three Generations of Storytelling (2) Entertainment-Education1stGeneration 2nd Generation 3rd Generation What are you communicating MessagesMessages and situationsSocial issues and problems Notion of change Individual behaviour Social Norms Individual Behaviour Social Norms Structural Conditions Individual Behaviour Social Norms Power relations Structural Conditions Expected outcome Changs of norms and individual behaviour Numerical results Changs of norms and individual behaviour Public and Private Debate Articulation of political and social processes Structural Change Collective Action Duration of activity Short TermShort and Middle termMid- and Long term

Communication and Development: New Theoretical Perspectives Post–Development * Issues of voice, questioning the dominant discourse of development Radical democracy Framework on democracy and citizenship (Chantal Mouffe – 1993/2005) Framework on democracy and citizenship (Chantal Mouffe – 1993/2005) Cultural Studies Audience Reception Analysis and Sense–Making processes Audience Reception Analysis and Sense–Making processes Telenovelas, storytelling – understanding potential of soap operas Telenovelas, storytelling – understanding potential of soap operas Dialogic Communication and liberating pedagogy (Paulo Freire 1967) Voice and public discourse Theory of public sphere (Habermas/Thompson/Rosa Maria Alfaro) Theory of public sphere (Habermas/Thompson/Rosa Maria Alfaro) Discourse Analysis Discourse Analysis

Contemporary Themes in the ComDev Debate Development paradigms – increased focus on citizens, participation, agency Development paradigms – increased focus on citizens, participation, agency Role of popular culture, narrative and identity formation Role of popular culture, narrative and identity formation Power issues and (mediated)public sphere Power issues and (mediated)public sphere Social movements, TANs Social movements, TANs Social media (mobile phones, internet) Social media (mobile phones, internet) Connecting back to Civil Rights Movement in USA..