Beyond “Whose reality counts?” New methods we now need? 1

Activities called PRA, and its equivalents in other languages, have evolved from a confluence, sharing and adaptation of methodologies, ^{2 2} In this paper methodology refers to a system of principles and methods. Method refers to a way of doing something. PAR, agro-ecosystem analysis, and PRA are examples of methodologies. Semi-structured interviews, transects and matrix scoring are examples of methods. methods and participatory traditions. Synergies have generated new things to do and new ways to do them, including visual forms of analysis. A conjunction of conditions has produced an explosion of activities and applications, and spread to many countries and organisations - NGOs, Government departments, and even universities, and raised questions of ethics and of sharing methodologies.

Coming from our different traditions, should we seek places of convergence and spring-boards for action? If so, could the concept of responsible wellbeing, and the question “Whose reality counts?” provide us with common ground? They fit with eclectic pluralism, a celebration of diversity, and democratic reversals of dominance. They raise shared issues of how we teach, learn, and construct realities, of dominant institutions and their cultures, and of personal power. They point towards responsible wellbeing for “uppers” being sought in empowering and privileging the realities of “lowers”.

Do we now have a phenomenal opportunity? We have participatory methodologies which are powerful, popular and self-spreading. We have new space opened up by government and donor agency policies for participation and poverty reduction. Rapid spread has brought much bad practice. At the same time, PRA and other participatory methodologies have also shown a potential to contribute to changes at levels which are policy-related, institutional and personal.

To make the most of these opportunities invites sharing methods and experience between different traditions, and inventing new methods. Five methodological challenges now (May 1997) stand out as points of leverage. These are how better to:

1. enable the realities and priorities of poor and marginalised people to be expressed and communicated to policy-makers

2. enable trainers to facilitate attitude and behaviour change

3. make normal bureaucracies more participatory

4. build self-improvement into the spread of participatory methodologies

5. enable people with power to find fulfilment in disempowering themselves

Could it be that effective repertoires for these could lead to much good change? Could convergences and sharings of experiences and approaches among us contribute to such repertoires? Could we between us seize these opportunities in the new spaces which are opening up?     

Child development in foster family care – what really counts?

Previous research has demonstrated that children who grow up in foster family care – along with other child welfare recipients – manage less well in adulthood compared to those children who do not. Given this challenge, this integrative literature review locates the critical factors that either positively or negatively affect a child’s development in foster family care. The articles were analysed using theory-driven content classification in relation to Bronfenbrenner’s bioecological framework on child development. The results of the review suggest that there is a wide range of factors that could impact on a child’s development in foster family care. Child­related factors such as the child’s age, gender, behavioural or mental health problems, etc. were mentioned most often in the data. Micro­environmental factors are also essential to a child’s development. Linkages taking place between two or more of the child’s circumstances, such as the relationship between the child’s birth and foster families and between the foster family and the social worker, were also identified as being influential. Service usage and political and legislative factors, as well as attitudes towards children in care, were also indicated to be strongly influential. It is suggested that the factors identified in this review should be carefully considered as important aspects of care for fostered children and care documentation.     

What counts amid contention? Measuring perceived intractable problems in public relations

Existing public relations measurement and evaluation frameworks may struggle to adequately capture (1) organizational engagement regarding contentious or intractable issues, and (2) external or publics-centered outcomes beyond the realm of organizational objectives and interests. In this research, qualitative, semi-structured interviews (41) with experienced U.S. public relations practitioners examined measurement and evaluation in the context of managing perceived intractable issues. In order to capture public relations engagement and potential impact on such issues, the paper presents a new measurement framework to encourage metrics for issues, communities, and societies—not just organizational priorities. This approach ensures a wider scope of levels of analysis (from message-level metrics to societal and global levels) as well as recognition of the potential value of dissensus, agonism, and agonistic metrics (Davidson & Motion, 2018) for more nuanced understandings of the work of public relations practitioners in contentious contexts.     

Who counts and who is counted? Conversations around voting,access, and divisions in the disability community

Online voting platforms have been introduced in some locations as the solution to the many barriers to political participation that disabled people continue to face. Reading the experiences of disabled student voters on university campuses alongside broader trends in electoral reform taking place in jurisdictions across Canada allows us to attend to the dangerous ways in which conversations around access have been limited through virtual solutions that encourage the physical absence of disabled voters. This article situates these absences alongside other categories of exclusion – including groups who are formally disenfranchised – and recalls many unstated values that are active in shaping citizenship cultures. Probing online voting through a critical disability angle, we present a critique of techno-fixes that builds upon broader notions of accessibility and inclusion.     

Family or friends: what counts more for drinking behaviour of young adults? / Familia o amigos: ¿qué pesa más en los hábitos de consumo de alcohol de los jóvenes?

The scientific literature stresses the importance of culture and social environment in determining what people think about alcohol consumption and consequently do. Several pieces of research have proved the influence on young adults’ alcohol use of proximal social contexts of their family and peers. The present study aimed at investigating the influence of family behaviours and norms compared to the peers’ influence in a context where the culture of alcohol is changing between the different generations. Data were collected by means of a self-report questionnaire on a sample of 598 young adults (average age 22.20 years). The variables investigated were socio-demographic characteristics, the alcohol consumption of parents and friends and the parents’ and peers’ approval of alcohol consumption. The results confirmed the role of family and friends in influencing young adults’ consumption of alcohol, stressing a difference between perceived behaviours and norms. The perceived consumption of parents and friends influenced the participants’ consumption. On the contrary, the effects of the approval of drinking were limited. Globally friends had a stronger influence on alcohol consumption in comparison with family.     

公关小姐:花瓶?酒坛?秘书?保姆?

提起公关小姐,一般人的反应大致有两种.一种人会语带暖昧地说:"哦,公关小姐啊,都很厉害的!"言下之意,公关小姐个个貌美如花,能喝酒,擅交际;另一种人语气里全带些不屑:"就是帮公司花钱呀,这事情谁不会干!"     

品牌 大厦?银行?军师?

树品牌、创名牌是人们在市场竞争条件下逐渐形成的共识,人们希望通过品牌对产品、企业加以区别;通过品牌形成品牌追随;通过品牌扩展市场,品牌的创立、名牌的形成正好能帮助企业实现上述目的,成为企业有力的竞争武器。那么品牌究竟是什么呢?     

偶然?必然?

<正>我们已经历了很多,《2008中国地产100大事件》,确切记录了2008中国地产的历程、奋斗、努力与纷扰,乃至无与伦比的转折……《2008中国地产100大言论》,每一句话都是一声时远时近的鼓点,不断击打着已被反复咀嚼的当下。原来夹杂着各种或复杂或深刻的思想与特定时间背景的语言交锋可以如此性感!《2008中国地产100大数字》,记录了地产业行至2008年所能呈现的数值,行业里的水分慢慢被挤出,然后,回归理性的发展。《2008北京地产100大品牌推动力行动》,记录了曾经在遭逢大灾之后的一个群体行动,也投射着地产人继续对企业品牌与责任的大气担当,对未来充满行动的期待,更闪现着逆境中互相温暖的光辉。即使这样——仍有很多事情等着我们去做。正所谓,"不曾哭过长夜的人,不足以语人生。"没有成长中的经历,就没有转变的可能。我们期待着与地产界所有人士一起在未来的岁月中为这个行业的进步、为这个城市的进程、为这个社会的和谐而共同努力!     

偶然?必然?

我们已经历了很多, <2008中国地产100大事件>,确切记录了2008中国地产的历程、奋斗、努力与纷扰,乃至无与伦比的转折…… <2008中国地产100大言论>,每一句话都是一声时远时近的鼓点,不断击打着已被反复咀嚼的当下.原来夹杂着各种或复杂或深刻的思想与特定时间背景的语言交锋可以如此性感!     

蟑螂?情敌?

正蟑螂突然出现时,你会采取什么行动?A.立刻用脚踩死B.找鞋子或其它硬东西打死C.打死后必须丢进马桶冲掉D.用针刺死,或踩烂见它血流四处的惨状E.用DDT等杀虫剂喷洒它F.用报纸或软性东西拍打,留它个全尸或趁它昏迷时丢掉     

药盲?毒盲?法盲?

根据我国新《刑法》的有关规定，盘江侗族自治县公安局破获一起种植毒品原植物罂粟重大案件，铲除罂粟3400株，缴获罂粟干品1030株。犯罪嫌疑人补××（男，67岁）落入法网，不久前已被依法刑事拘留。药盲乎？补××因患有清气，道听途说用罂菜可以治疗这种病，于是四处求购。199o年10月，他在邻县新品讨得一个罂粟果。1991年经过试种成活8株，第二年种植成活1100株，此后便年年种植。为了“治病”，补从种植以来，一直将罂粟的茎、叶、壳当药煎水服用，每年收获后还将茎、叶晒干备用。罂粟具有致幻作用，一定程度减轻痛苦。而晦气是一种内…     

权力寻情——批判?保留?免谈?不管?

人们在惊叹近年“陈希同现象”、“成克杰现象”、“胡长清现象”之余,不禁要问:为什么在这些政界要员经济大案要案背后,总是要拖着一二位若明若暗的情人(“小蜜”)?在推行一夫一妻制已有较长时期的中国,情人现象卷土重来,空前地深入到政治权力领域,不能不说是一个特有现象。以至子不管人们接受或承认与否,已然形成了这样一个独特的概念:     

征婚启示录是美?是痛?是希望?是落魄?

案例一:嫁什么样的男人 主人公背景资料:小雨,女,31岁,重庆市某房地产公司副总经理 采写:彭军 我20岁的时候报名参加了县驾校的培训班,成为它的第一批学员.     

营销真谛:品牌?文化?还是价值?

正同样一双鞋,为什么耐克的600多;李宁的200多;特步的400多;361的300多?还是同样一双鞋,在地摊卖不过几十元,到了商场、专卖店,会涨到一百甚至几百。有人说那是品牌的作用,还有人说是因为在不同地方卖,卖的价格当然不同。不论你是选择卖品牌,还是卖文化。我们都需要承认,今天我们己经从产品制造时代进入塑造产品价值的时代。在产品供大于求的今天,谁能更好的塑造产品的价值,谁就会取得最终的胜利。购买宝马车的人有时候不是最在乎车子的本身跑得多快,能开多久,他们购买的是宝马车的价值,即开宝马的感觉和开宝马的那种身份象征。买     

法国浪漫? 中国刻板?

中法互办文化年,是两国通过“文化外交”谋求协作与发展。在民间语义里,中法文化之间的误读也让我们进一步反思文化沟通的必要。     

吃什么?怎么吃?

从猿到人的演变,从生吞活剥到细嚼慢咽的适应,从茹毛饮血到精烹乱炖的变化,简而言之,一部人类的进化史就是一部"吃什么、怎么吃"的历史。今天,人们对食物的要求已不仅是塞肠果腹、止饥耐渴,人们要吃出营养、吃出口感、吃出新奇、吃出愉悦,于是,各种食品化学添加剂应运而生。     

皮肤问题?体内疾病?

专家认为，皮肤上出现的东西，有些并不是皮肤问题，而是体内疾病在皮肤上的反映。《大众医学》杂志上就记载了这么一个“故事”。一位患者在腰间生出带状疱疹，久治不愈，大惑不解，最后找到专家，专家却建议他做胃镜检查，结果查出是胃癌。胃癌与皮肤疱疹看似风马牛不相及，然而，皮肤是人体的一面镜子，许多癌症，如肺癌、直肠癌、胃癌，在皮肤表面均有不同表现。青春痘亦如此。体内内分泌失调，雄性激素增多，刺激皮腺分泌油脂，一旦油脂来不及排泄，堵塞毛孔，碰到灰尘形成黑头，碰到螨虫、毛囊虫、痤疮杆菌作怪，会发炎形成青春痘，严…     

向左睡?向右睡?

现在的人,除了身边爱情的走向,最关心的就是健康了,这种保养那种修炼,吃素的不沾—点荤,讲究营养搭配的每天少吃一颗维生素片都心慌慌——全打定了主意,要青春永驻,活成个不老的妖精。朋友手里几本烂熟于心的长寿秘笈传来传去,要多吃的就再多吃,少吃的就不要吃了。女友是个保养的狂热分子, 被逼看她看过的书不说,还要被她生拉硬拽去听什么健康知识讲座。据说讲课的是位医学博士。上面讲者慷慨激昂,下面听者     

剩女何谓?剩女何为?

俗语云:有剩男,无剩女。基于我国人口性别比例中历来男多女少这一事实,这似乎已成为人们的一个思维定势。然而,进入新时期以来,事情却悄然发生了变化。不知从何时起,剩女——一个稍带点调侃、无奈和尴尬的词汇被创造发明出来,并日益成为网络乃至现实中的热门语汇。那么,究竟何为剩女?