Browsing by Author "Carciotto, Sergio"

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    Assessing the role of Development Communication in fostering social change: the case study of Sesotho Media and Development (SM&D)
    (2013) Carciotto, Sergio; Dinbabo, Mulugeta F.
    A number of programmes have been implemented in the field of development communication, with the specific aim of promoting social change among communities, and a series of studies have illustrated the positive effects of entertainment-education (EE) interventions on individuals’ behavioural change. These programmes can be applied in a variety of fields, including health, agriculture and sustainable development, and make use of a different range of media such as radio, television and theatre. In line with the theory and conceptual framework of the Integrated Model of Communication for Social Change (IMCSC), this research is intended to explore, empirically, how development communication programmes can foster collective action amongst community members. The research is based on a case study of Sesotho Media & Development (SM&D), a nongovernmental organisation that has been operating in Lesotho, using media to promote social transformation and individual change. For the past 10 years, SM&D has been working in Lesotho using a methodology based on facilitated documentary screening with a specific focus on HIV/Aids-related issues, combined with capacity building programmes aimed at training facilitators among support groups, youth groups and prison inmates around the country. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods of enquiry were employed throughout the research. Common research tools used include questionnaires, semi-structured interviews, focus group discussions and observation. In addition, a variety of secondary sources of information, including evaluation reports, funding proposals and journal articles were reviewed. The results of the study reveal that development communication initiatives are able to foster collective forms of action by increasing the level of efficacy amongst the audience. Conclusions highlight that participatory development communication with an educational aim allows people to identify problems and to strategise and mobilise resources for collective action.
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    Making asylum seekers more vulnerable in South Africa: The negative effects of hostile asylum policies on livelihoods
    (Wiley, 2020) Carciotto, Sergio
    In post-apartheid South Africa, migration policies and legislation have left critical issues such as social cohesion and integration unsolved. Furthermore, the inability to reconcile the national interest of maintaining borders’ integrity with respecting moral and legal obligations has placed the asylum system under tremendous stress. Drawing from secondary sources, as well as qualitative interviews, this paper explores the development of new asylum policies aimed at curtailing asylum seekers’ right to work in South Africa. The study’s findings provide support for the conclusions of earlier research that highlights the consequences of hostile policies and practices for asylum seekers’ livelihoods. The author argues that curtailments on asylum seekers’ right to work will have many possible socio-economic ramifications. In the immediate term, the legislation seeks to inhibit asylum seekers from engaging in self-employment, while in the long run it may achieve the undesired effect of producing more precarious forms of livelihood.
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    Role of development communication in fostering social change: evidence from Lesotho
    (KRE Publishers, 2013) Carciotto, Sergio; Dinbabo, Mulugeta
    A number of programmes have been implemented in the field of development communication with the specific aim of promoting social change among communities. Series of studies have also illustrated the positive effects of Entertainment-Education (EE) interventions on individuals’ behavioural change. In line with the theory and conceptual framework of the Integrated Model of Communication for Social Change (IMCSC), this research empirically explored how development communication programmes can foster collective action amongst community members in Lesotho using media to promote social transformation and individual change. Both quantitative and qualitative research methods of enquiry were employed throughout the research. The results of the study reveal that firstly, development communication initiatives are able to foster collective forms of action by increasing the level of self-efficacy amongst the audience. Secondly, participatory development communication with an educational aim allows people to identify problems and to strategise and mobilise resources for collective action.