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The Banyan Tree: Volume II - Bringing Change
Appendix 2 : Some Other Methods of Social Analysis
We present below some other methods of doing a social analysis. We urge the reader to keep in mind the basic framework and principles of social analysis presented in the earlier sections of this chapter.
Model 1
Keep in Mind : If you prod at people like things, they won’t let you know them.
Visit your target area, and make a rough assessment of the area :
Housing situation
Economic standard
Health of the people and nitritional standard
Education availability and standard
Employment
Religious groups
Entertainment.
Arrange some meetings with the village leaders, or target area leaders. Try to gain their cooperation and explain the purpose of your work.
Develop a questionnaire according to your needs. Choose the communication language. Select your interviewers and train them. Do home visits and fill-up the questionnaire.
Sort out the collected data.
Explain the outcome to the target group
Draw conclusions
Set up an action plan.
Follow up, by periodic evaluation.
Model 2
This is a very simple approach, which can be used very effectively with some small groups, which want to explore their local social reality. You simply move through the following ten questions :
What do you notice about our situation here today? What are people experiencing?
What changes have occured in the past 20 years? What have been the most important events?
What influences does money have in our situation? Why?
Who makes the most important decisions around here? Why?
What are the most important traditions of the people?
What are the most important relationships people have here? Why?
What do people want most in life? Why?
What will things be like in ten years if they keep going in the same way?Why?
What are the most important causes of the way things are today? Why?
