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USES OF POPULAR CULTURE IN NONFORMAL EDUCATION: THREE CASE STUDIES
Abstract
This study seeks to bring into focus for community development planners certain issues in communications that have emerged in the field of nonformal education. More than any other factor, the communications component of a development project determines client group acceptance of any innovative practice. Thus, communications specialists and development planners are constantly seeking more efficient and cost effective means to deliver development messages to field project clients. Writers in the field of development communications have been increasingly critical of the limitations of modern mass communications media in rural and Third World development projects. They report the failure of mass media to fulfill the total communications requirements for development projects, identifying the specific areas where they fall short of earlier expectations. As a result, increasing attention has been given to alternative communication networks. Development planners are now looking at systems that are indigenous and traditional to field client groups. Collectively referred to as "popular culture," these systems for many developers hold promise for new and effective channels that will compensate for the shortcomings of modern mass media. On the other hand, however, some writers in the fields of anthropology and social psychology say there are critically important considerations that mitigate against using traditional channels of mass communications as vehicles for development messages. This study presents three case studies taken from field projects in nonformal education in Botswana, Ghana and the United States. The projects used innovative and unique communications techniques to facilitate social change through village level motivation, needs identification and action taking. They are examples of the practical application of popular culture and folk arts as communications components in development projects. The conclusion to the study evaluates the three field projects in light of the concerns raised by various writers in the field of development communications and anthropology. It then presents a series of practical recommendations for development planners interested in using forms of popular culture as communication channels for development.
Subject Area
Education
Recommended Citation
RUSSELL, ROBERT ISAAC, "USES OF POPULAR CULTURE IN NONFORMAL EDUCATION: THREE CASE STUDIES" (1982). Doctoral Dissertations Available from Proquest. AAI8210610.
https://scholarworks.umass.edu/dissertations/AAI8210610