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?
- What did you learn from all of this?