Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Social change'

Thesis (Ph. D.)--University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, 2006.
Title from electronic title page (viewed Oct. 10, 2007). "... in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy in the Department of Sociology." Discipline: Sociology; Department/School: Sociology.

This thesis develops a radical Nietzschean approach to social change. Its subject area is how social entities – for example, institutions, practices, norms, values, cultures – are reproduced or transformed. Its ethical and political starting point is one of resistance to capitalism. Its philosophical starting point is the work of Friedrich Nietzsche. Its approach is eclectic, reading Nietzsche with post-Nietzschean philosophy and work in developmental psychology, evolutionary biology, anthropology, feminist theory, and more. The thesis starts with Nietzsche's conception of history in On the Genealogy of Morals. Nietzsche sees social transformation resulting from multiple contingent encounters of bodies with diverse ‘modes of valuation’ and forms of life. This view opposes the universalist approach Nietzsche calls ‘English Genealogy’, which runs from Hume through Darwin down to contemporary liberal ‘cultural evolution’ theories. The middle part of the thesis investigates Nietzsche's views on social processes following two main strands: the ‘psycho-physiology’ of sub-individual drives he develops in Dawn and other texts of the ‘free spirit’ period; and his encounter with Darwinism. These chapters offer accounts of mimetic and performative incorporation of values; of normalisation and subjectivation; and an ‘ecological’ approach to social evolution drawing on multi-dimensional accounts of heredity, Developmental Systems Theory, and Felix Guattari's conception of ‘the three ecologies’. The last part of the thesis applies these ideas to today's social struggles. It uses Nietzsche's Genealogy to understand technologies of domination at work in contemporary capitalism, alongside Foucault's work on power and Judith Herman's study of psychological trauma. The concluding chapter looks at how Nietzsche's thought can help develop projects of resistance to capitalism, drawing on James Scott's study of the ‘weapons of the weak’, and feminist debates on identity. Working with Nietzsche on resistance both brings out the power and takes us to the limits of his philosophy of self-transformation.

Bibliography: leaves 113-120.
The purpose of this study is to ascertain the effects of the Overberg Test and Evaluation Facility on a rural town. Bredasdorp, the town in question, up until the announcement of the proposed Overberg Test and Evaluation Facility had developed historically on the basis of the natural needs and requirements of a rural community. Bredasdorp thus, provided services and facilities for its and the surrounding population as a natural growth point and service-centre for complimentary economic activities - mainly of an agricultural nature. The introduction of the Overberg Test and Evaluation Facility impacted on the functioning of this local farming community. This study traces this social change on the various systems operating in the community. Specifically, this study looks on the areas of economic and social change as a result of demographic change in a community. It was hoped that the introduction of the Overberg Test and Evaluation Facility would have long-term influences on the character, make-up and functioning of Bredasdorp as a rural town. In-depth interviews were held with 30 old and new inhabitants of Bredasdorp to determine their attitudes with regard to the project as primary data. Documents such as census reports, Municipal and town planning reports, education related statistics, the Hey Committe report as well as official documents from Armscor were utilized for secondary data. Findings indicate that Bredasdorp experienced a demographic growth as a result of the introduction of the Overberg Test and Evaluation Facility. This demographic growth had a trickle-down effect on the infrastructure such as water reticulation, sewerage, housing, schools, business and community facilities. Adjustments were made by the various systems involved in the change process in order to accommodate the demographic change positively. The economic/militaristic development project at Bredasdorp can be seen as a positive influence on Bredasdorp and environs.

This thesis explores the institutional development of social engagement (SE) programmes within higher education institutions (HEIs). Since the 1990s, universities in the United States and Canada have become increasingly active in directly addressing social issues such as poverty, social exclusion and political participation in their own local communities. The past decade has seen similar developments at universities in the United Kingdom. At the global level as well, there are increasing discussions about the role and responsibilities of HEIs in human and social development. To facilitate their engagement with wider social issues, HEIs frequently create SE programmes which coordinate activities between university-based actors and community-partners. A significant body of literature exists on SE programmes; however, these writings fall into two categories: firstly, promoting the concept of university engagement and, secondly, evaluating the impacts of such programmes on communities or students. What is far less theorised or researched are the intermediary processes which enable the social engagement aspirations of HEIs to come to fruition, generating these documented impacts. This study aims to produce new knowledge and insights on how university SE programmes are created and institutionalised over time. This research is a qualitative study of SE programmes at three HEIs, two in the UK and one in the US. The data for the study has been drawn from primary programme documents, participatory workshops and interviews with more than one-hundred staff, academics, students and community-partners involved with these programmes. The research suggests that, despite differences in size, mission and national context, there are common enabling factors which lead to the creation of these programmes and which facilitate their successful institutionalisation within their respective institutions. Moreover, the research also suggests that the presence of these programmes catalyses unexpected outcomes within the HEIs themselves, such as changes in the formal curriculum as well as changes in the overall learning culture of the institutions where these SE programmes were located. Considered together, these findings suggest that the presence of these programmes contributes to the development of a systemic ―institutional pedagogy‖ which encourages students, staff and academics to engage with important social and developmental issues in their local communities, and often more widely as well.

The Internet presents a wide variety of capacity-building opportunities for the nonprofit sector, especially grassroots-based organizations with geographically dispersed members. These opportunities have become more accessible and practical for laypeople with emergence of Web 2.0 and the prevalence of social network sites like Facebook and MySpace in contemporary life, theoretically making it easier even for under-resourced organizations to leverage the Internet to increase outreach, fundraising and recruitment capacity. This report details the participatory action research basis and findings of the accompanying practical component of the thesis project which entailed the development of a new Web 2.0-enabled website for Sierra Club Canada, the country's foremost grassroots environmental nonprofit organization. With no other organizations in the sector taking full strategic advantage of the Internet to improve campaign capacity, this new website will establish Sierra Club Canada as a premiere online presence and a resource for a growing number of grassroots activists and supporters of environmental causes.

Abstract Disclosing how business practice can be regarded as a contributor to several forms of sustainability, this thesis is based on a minor field study enlightening how this contribution may be possible through Corporate Social Responsibility, CSR.The thesis provides the response and opinions of people who in some affirmation are engaging in or are related to social responsibility; either it may be from the academic works and earlier conducted research related to the CSR topic, or it may be from those who perform social responsibility and are the participant actors of this minor field study. These people last mentioned have all had their opinions spoken through semi – structured interviews and other data have been collected based on the methodology of Actors Approach; all empirical data is structured according to Aspers’ (2007) model of “meaning” including the tools text, visuals and practice.The analysis is divided into three parts; articulation, reconfiguration and cross-appropriation as a way to create understanding of how the study’s phenomenon can create style change (Spinosa et al 1997). Conclusions drawn from the field study are businesses implementing social responsibility do create a style change in environmental and societal aspects. Yet to what extent may differ depending on in their situation, their views of the concept, how long they have been using and promoting the concept and further in what ways their work contributes to a societal and environmental change through CSR practice. The field study has been conducted within the municipality of Kathmandu, Nepal

The thesis presents a view of film for change set against the manifold approaches, practices or ideologies influencing it, and analysis it as a tool for the self-representation, self-determination and mediation of marginalised people in the face of globalization and the democratization of communication. It seeks to find an answer to the question of how film for change works as a method to empower the disadvantaged inhabitants of three villages in Tanzania, where fieldwork was carried out. The thesis tracks down core parameters that connect the visual communication experience to the social reality and bear the potential to change it. The use of visual communication technology, interactive and horizontal communication practices, fictionalizations and empowerment strategies enable processes among spectators and participants that permit them to reframe or reconsider representations that they witness. Film for change potentially reaches beyond the community and through convergence with Web 2.0 into the much larger public sphere, nationally as well as globally. The thesis suggests that film for change should be adapted to the present day media environment as citizens’ media, whereby media users also become media producers and start broadcasting self-communicated alternatives to the images and interpretations produced by established media corporations that dominate the global flows of information. In this way film for change connects to the right to communicate and becomes a tool for citizens to influence power relations and advocate social change.

AbstractThere is a major relationship between these two aspects: climate change and IPDs (Internal Displacement Persons) – as climate change is a major challenge for people who faced displacement and leave their shelters – which makes their living conditions worst and it leads result in diminishing the wellbeing of people (Ferris, 2011). Moreover, it has been observed that the researcher has successfully contributed in accomplishing the research concern and attaining the effective results – while involving the role of international Humanitarian Law which is used to protect the needs of climate refugees/people displaced because of climate change – also, the UN Guiding Principles on Internal Displacement can be relevant for meeting the protection needs of people who have been displaced because of climate change. Moreover, the researcher has used critical discussion through effective and factful arguments in the literature review to accomplish the research purpose. Moreover, the investigator involved the analytical and conceptual framework which highly plays a significant role in accomplishing the whole research as it included the concepts and theories which is relevant to the research matter. The researcher included IASC Framework on Durable Solutions for Internal Displaced Persons and the social framework of UNHCR in order to give a proper value to the section. On the other hand, the researcher uses secondary research for collecting data along with thematic/content analysis in order to analyze the research with effective concepts and accurately analyzing the collected information. At last, the research concludes that there are various challenges which the internally displaced people are facing due to the impact of climate change but the researcher included international committees – those are taking actions for resolving the issues of IDPs and refugees such as UNEP, UNIHRC, UNEG, IPCC, and IOM – which significantly contributing for the benefits of IDPs and migrants.

This thesis investigates the use of a reconceptualised social evolutionary theory for understanding and explaining how and why societies change, specifically looking at this question through the frame of nationalism. The thesis is split into three parts: in the first part I first examine older forms of social evolutionary theory (conceptions from Marx, Spencer and generalized evolutionary accounts) and critique them on the grounds that they are too ‘progressive’ in character, suffer from teleology and have a notion that all societies change linearly, i.e. pass through the same set of stages. After this I elaborate on a reconstructed version of social evolutionary theory, taking it along more Darwinian lines: that the process should be understood as contingent and non-linear, where cultural variants and social intuitions change in response to selective pressures brought about by environmental conditions. To reconstruct social evolution I draw mainly on accounts from Runciman (2009), Hodgson and Knudsen (2010), Sperber (1996), Hull (1988) and Richerson and Boyd (2006). In the second part of the thesis I look at four different theories of social change and utilize Darwinian social evolutionary theory to critique them. The four in question are: Immanuel Wallerstein (world-systems theory); Michael Hechter (rational-choice theory); Michael Mann (sources of social power); and Ernest Gellner (functionalism). These four theories were chosen as they either have, or represent, different theories of social change, and also because they are all concerned to some extent with the rise of the nation-state and nationalism. The main argument in this section is that Darwinian social evolutionary theory can incorporate elements of these theories whilst also going beyond them in explaining and understanding why societies undergo changes. In the case of Mann and Gellner I also note that they are, to a certain extent, implicitly relying on a social evolutionary account, and that drawing this out more explicitly helps provide greater theoretical solidity to their arguments. In the final part of the thesis I apply the theory to two case-studies, looking at the rise of nationalism in Britain (with a focus on England) and Japan. In both cases I examine each development of nationalism historically, using Darwinian social evolution to assess why nationalism emerged at the point that it did in each case, and not before. A final synthesis chapter then looks comparatively at the two cases and applies Darwinian social evolutionary theory to address the question of why nationalism generated in England/Britain, but did not in Japan and why the nationalist movements took the forms that they did. The chapter centres on three main themes, the role of war in forming identities, the role of variation in generating institutions, and the role of lineages in creating continuity in discontinuity. Finally it address the question of why nationalism became the dominant movement and not something else. Together this demonstrates demonstrate the usefulness of the framework for addressing questions concerning social change, in providing a different perspective and insights from other theories of social change. A final chapter summarizes and concludes the thesis, as well as pointing to new directions that research could develop.

This thesis aims to analyse social process in Fiji, with reference to Bourdieu, Giddens, Sahlins, Thomas and Toren. We can find quite peculiar characteristics in phases of Hie distinction derived Som a criterion of "urban / rural" in Fiji. There is a considerable contrast in the standard of living, lifestyle, economic system, ritual institution and values between urban and rural sphere. Taking account of the events in Waidracia village in Naitasiri Province and in Nasilai village in Rewa Province, in which the author had conducted his fieldwork, the tradition in Fiji is examined. The indigenous people, encountering various kinds of "objects", "ideas", "situations" and "acts", would objectify such circumstances in their own practical senses to make practices. There could occur some deviations or differentiae in their practices. As a result, some "objects", "ideas", "situations" and "acts" will persist, while others might be innovated It depends on the interaction among the agents' practices whether the tradition is persisted or innovated. Social process is understood as the accumulation of the agents' practices. The individual embodies various numbers of "distinctions", which depend on his or her position in society. Distinction provides the individual with a certain habitus. The individual as an independent agent chooses his or her own "purposive acts", led by the "practical sense" derived from habitus. On the other hand, we can construct a conceptual idea of "sphere", in which certain "purposiveness" is shared. Field research shows there is a common "spheric purposiveness" in a sphere, and the thesis examines how the forms of the practices yielded by the individuals in the sphere converge. The particular tendency of practices will reflect on the reproduction of individual habitus. Simultaneously, the individual habitus is also reproduced and transformed through the interactions between practices in different spheres.

This thesis considers the nature and impact of social change on Kuwaiti Society. It begins by giving a detailed account of the origins of Kuwait Society and its economic, political and social structure before the exploitation of the country's enormous oil resources. This is followed by an equally detailed discussion of the changes in the economic, political and social structure that followed the development of the oil resources. Finally, in the first section, the major changes are outlined and the question is posed as to what effect these changes are likely to have on the values and attitudes of the population of the country. The second section begins with a consideration of some of the problems of measuring potential alienation in a society such as Kuwait and reviews some of the major problems of isolating and defining the relevant concepts. The general conclusion is that the micro-social psychological approach to the problem adopted by American social psychologists in the 1960's is the more fruitful way forward. Using the scales of Struening and Richardson levels of alienation in Kuwait are then measured and the results given. Finally, by the application of new scales specifically developed for this study the major dimensions of alienation are related to the particularities of the social structure of modern Kuwait. The conclusion considers the problems of mounting such an investigation in Kuwait, the substantive findings of the study and it indicates future research possibilities.

Desde los años 1990 (Curtis, Ward, Sharp, & Hankin, 2013), con el desarrollo de un mundo cada vez más globalizado e individualista, diferentes estudios (Andreotti, 2014; Brown, 2017; Byram, 2014b; Guilherme, 2002, 2007; Hoskins, 2006; Hoskins & Crick, 2010; Osler & Starkey, 2015; Shultz, 2007; VanderDussen Toukan, 2017) han mostrado la necesidad de desarrollar políticas educativas que impliquen una forma de aprendizaje donde los estudiantes sean capaces de desarrollar proyectos y competencias cívicas que aborden temas referidos a cuestiones sociales, económicas o ambientales, entre otras. Este enfoque global y colaborativo de la educación es conocido como Global Citizenship Education (GCED), y en él se abordan contenidos como la paz y los derechos humanos, la interculturalidad, la educación ciudadana, el respeto por la diversidad y la tolerancia, y la inclusividad. Partiendo de estos principios, la pregunta de investigación planteada es ver si la canción protesta tiene elementos que pueden servir como materia transversal en el ámbito educativo especialmente en la formación de la GCED en alumnos universitarios. El antecedente del uso de la canción protesta, por ejemplo, para despertar sentimientos hacia movimientos sociales que estaban o están en contra de la guerra y en consecuencia buscar la mejora de los derechos civiles, no es algo novedoso. Los episodios que protagonizó la sociedad estadounidense contra la guerra de Vietnam se pueden considerar como un hito histórico en la reivindicación de estos –The Civil Rights Movement-, pero en la actualidad, dada la globalidad y la individualización del mundo, como ya se ha señalado, parece ser que la canción tipo protesta, a pesar de su producción y conocimiento por parte de la sociedad, no tiene el mismo vigor ni magnitud que en épocas anteriores. Esta aparente carencia de vigencia cuando el mensaje que subyace es el mismo a largo del tiempo, pone de manifiesto una serie de inputs que deben de ser analizados con el fin de comprender y profundizar en los procesos y las complejas interacciones entre este tipo de músicas y la construcción de significados que respondan a los principios de la GCED. Por este motivo el estudio tiene cuatro fases. La primera ha consistido en hacer un vaciado que relacionara prensa y canción protesta, pues se ha considerado que la prensa en el año 2003 –Guerra de Irak-, todavía actuaba como formadora de opiniones. En segundo lugar, se abordaron aquellas canciones que respondieran al concepto de canciones antiguerra de Irak y ver si tenían en la población algún efecto de tipo transversal que respondiera a los principios de la GCED- En tercer lugar, comprobar si una canción mayoritariamente desconocida por los alumnos universitarios Stange Fruit (Meeropol, 1939) que pone de manifiesto y clama contra la violencia racial (Lynching) podría todavía tener vigencia transversalmente en la actualidad en el ámbito educativo universitario, como en la sociedad en general. En cuarto lugar, se decidió estudiar el impacto de un texto con un alto contenido contra el racismo y la venganza con la finalidad de explorar si la carencia de acompañamiento musical produjera los mismos resultados que los estudios anteriores. El texto fue un extracto conocido como “Hath not a Jew eyes? ”de la obra de Shakesepare, “The Merchant of Venice” Global Citizenship Education (GCED), la promoción de educación para una ciudadanía global, representa un compromiso a nivel internacional para abordar temas actuales y globales como pueden ser: medio ambiente y desarrollo sostenible, justicia social, derechos humanos, pobreza y la paz, entre otros.

This thesis is concerned with the ‘problem’ of change in education, an issue characterised in much of the literature as a paradox of innovation without change. The thesis draws upon school-based empirical research, undertaken in the context of the reactions by Geography, History and Modern Studies teachers to the notion of teaching integrated social subjects, set against the wider framework of the Scottish Executive’s curriculum policy. The thesis first sets the topic in its Scottish and wider context, before undertaking a comprehensive review of the themes that emerge from the worldwide literature on educational change. These include the paradox of innovation without change, teacher mediation of change initiatives, departmental and school cultures, the subject centredness of schooling and factors that have been noted to underpin successful change initiatives. The thesis sets out a theoretical position that draws upon the critical realist social theory of Margaret Archer. This approach posits a centrist approach to the contentious structure/agency debate, suggesting a complex relationship between social structures, cultural forms and individual agency, whereby social reproduction and transformation are played out through continual social interaction. From this foundation of theory, I develop a practical methodology for researching change in school settings. My empirical work consists of a questionnaire sent to 100 schools, and two linked case studies, where data was collected through semi-structured interviews, observations and analysis of school documents. The research identifies trends in school provision and, through the case studies, the processes of curriculum making are investigated using the aforementioned methodology. The thesis concludes that such processes are ineluctably social practices, and that those seeking to innovate in schools should pay attention to the social dimensions of change – the engagement of people with ideas and the social structures that impede, distort or promote change. The thesis concludes by presenting a set of general principles that might serve to facilitate change promoted by future initiatives.

The aim of this thesis is to study social responsibility and find out what responsibilities the graphic designer may have and what they can do using their skill set as a designer to contribute in helping to better their community. Social responsibility needs to be addressed more within the design field. It needs to be introduced and taught to students at an early stage of their education, so as they fully understand the power and influence that their creations will have over society, and the role this plays in materialism, overconsumption and our modern day consumer-culture. Change needs to be made within graphic design and the urgency for this grows more and more for each day that passes. The graphic designer needs to critically reflect over the purpose of their work and answer the question of whom it stands to serve: their audience or consumer-culture. They need to move away from the creation of artificial needs and the promotion of unnecessary products, and move towards the creation of more useful and lasting communication that contributes to society.

Changes are afoot in the nonprofit sector of the economy (James, 2003). Nonprofit leaders are adopting entrepreneurial business models to sustain or expand the scope of their mission work. This change is part of a counter-hegemonic shift toward a new economic paradigm in which blended business models create both social and financial value (Sabeti, 2009; Sahakian & Dunand, 2013). The current study explored how nonprofit leaders understand the shift toward a more enterprising and entrepreneurial nonprofit sector. Qualitative methods, along with a grounded theory framework were used to elicit leaders' perspectives on the emergence of social enterprise in nonprofits and the characteristics of successful nonprofit social enterprise. Findings include five themes of social enterprise understanding that offer structure for further research and professional discourse on the subject, including: 1) Social enterprise as a necessary and inevitable evolution of the nonprofit organization; 2) Social enterprise as a means of achieving a social mission; 3) Social enterprise as a true blending of business and social impact models; 4) Social enterprise as a business principle applied to a social mission context; and 5) Social enterprise as a market-driven approach to financial and social value creation. A secondary analysis points to the emergence of a social enterprise synergy effect in which the social and financial value generated by nonprofit social enterprises yield a third effect that is greater than the sum of the individual parts. The implications of these findings are limited to nonprofit social enterprises, but contribute to our understanding of this nascent field.

Bibliography: pages 136-148.
The thesis attempts to address the dubious statement of conventional community development that the approach is neutral. The central question asked was 'Is community development a value neutral approach established to meet the needs of communities or does it have another function?' Arguing that no approach that deals with people and which was specifically formulated by persons in a definite ideological context can be neutral, the author then sets about proving that the community development approach is closely aligned to the conservative structural functionalist perspective. An analysis was made of the central tenets of the structural functionalist position and central themes of community development examined as to the basis of their assumptions. It became obvious that a very close correlation exists between the community development approach and the structural functionalist position. Once this had been established the broader ramifications of working within this theoretical position were explored. A number of observations were made in this regard. It was argued that community development could never achieve its goals while working within this framework as it failed to address the real structural problems in society. In supporting the existing social order, the emphasis is shifted away from society as a cause of problems and emphasis, incorrectly, placed on individual communities. Persons are thus expected to find solutions to problems they had no part in causing. Thus, within a South African context, a status quo is supported which propagates inequality, injustice and social deprivation. It was then argued that an alternate approach should be sought which addresses the fundamental social problems. A starting point for this approach could be an acceptance on the part of the community development approach of its inherent political nature and clarification as to how this effects the approach. It was suggested that in the South African context exponents should take their lead from the oppressed communities and their expression of need. One such pointer was the Freedom Charter which was drawn up in 1955 by a democratic grouping of the population. In order to give substance to the theoretical argument the arguments were focussed on a rural South African community where research was conducted.

This submission contains eight papers and a synoptic commentary to be examined for the award of PhD on the Basis of Published Work. The papers focus upon the further education (FE) system in England. Each examines significant contemporary or historical issues and provides a critical analysis of the changing nature of FE. Collectively, the publications constitute an original and significant contribution to understanding further education and the social and economic context within which it is placed. The commentary highlights the links between the different papers and demonstrates their coherence; it locates the publications within an overarching analytical framework; and it shows how the work submitted makes a significant contribution to knowledge. It also explains my contribution to the three coauthored papers that constitute part of this thesis. It is argued that, taken together, my work provides a sustained and consistent critique of the English further education system from a critical materialist perspective.

In 2011, 19.2 million households in the United Kingdom had access to the Internet. Online social networks (OSN) such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace, Bebo and YouTube have proved to be the most popular Internet activity (Office of National Statistics, 2011). 49% of these users have updated or created an OSN profile and are making over 24 million visits a month (Dutton, 2009). These websites are often directed at a broad market i.e. people without disabilities. Unfortunately people with disabilities, especially those with physical impairments, often have a greater risk of experiencing loneliness than people without a disability as a result of their mobility, access and or communication impairments. Conventional communication methods such as face-to-face communication, telephone communication and text message communication are often difficult to use and can limit the opportunities for people with disabilities to engage in successful socialisation with family members and friends (Braithwaiteet al, 1999). Therefore people with disabilities can often see online communication, especially OSNs, as an attractive alternative. Previous studies such as Braithwaite et al(1999), Ellis and Kent (2010) and Dobransky and Hargittai (2006) suggests that OSNs are opening a new world to individuals with disabilities. They help these individuals, especially those exhibiting lifelong physical challenges to carry out social interaction which they would otherwise not be able to do within the analogue world. However due to inaccessible features presented in the technology for example features requiring JavaScript, hard-coded text size and Captcha (AbilityNet, 2008; Cahill and Hollier, 2009 andAsuncion, 2010) access to OSNs is often difficult. The overarching purpose of this PhD research is to understand the experiences and challenges faced when people with the physical disability cerebral palsy (cp) use OSNs. It is estimated that 1 in 400 children born in the UK is affected by cp (Scope Response, 2007). The disability can present itself in a variety of ways and to varying degrees. There is no cure for cp, however management to increase social interaction especially through technological innovations is often encouraged (United Cerebral Palsy, 2001; Sharan, 2005 and Colledge, 2006). Previous studies such as AbilityNet (2008), Cahill and Hollier (2009), and Boudreau (2011) have explored mainstream OSNs use from the perspective of users with disabilities, i.e. blind and visually or cognitively impaired, but have placed great emphasis on investigating inaccessibility of OSNs without involving these users. Other studies such as Manna (2005) and Belchiorb et al (2005) have used statistical methods such as surveys and questionnaires to identify Internet use among people with unspecified disabilities. Conversely Asuncion (2010) has taken a broader approach involving OSN users using high-level taxonomies to classify their disabilities, and Marshall et al (2006) focused on a specific disability type, cognitive impairments, without considering the variety of limitations present within the disability. Other studies such as Pell (1999) have taken a broader yet more specific approach and looked at technology use, especially computer and assistive technology among people with physical disabilities, where only 7 out of 82 surveyed had cp. Whereas Braithwaiteet al (1999) focused on individuals with disabilities, where most were classified has having a physical disability. However the study does not explicitly look at OSNs but rather at online social support within forums for people with disabilities. Studies such as these have not involved the users; defined what constitutes disability or focused on cp without encompassing other disabilities, making it impossible to identify the requirements of OSN users with cp. Initially this PhD research explored the experiences and challenges faced when individuals with cp use OSNs. Fourteen interviews were carried out consisting of participants with variations of the disability. The study identified the reasons for OSN use and non-use and also discovered key themes together with challenges that affected their experiences. This work was followed by an in-context observational study that examined these individuals context of use. The study identified the OSNs and assistive technology used, tasks carried out and users feelings during interaction. As a result of these studies it was determined that changing OSNs prevented and or slowed down these users ability to communicate online. Previous work within human-computer interaction and other disciplines such as software engineering and management science, change is often discussed during software development and is restricted to identifying scenarios and tools that assist change management within information technology (Jarke and Kurkisuonio, 1998). Studies such as these have not considered change deployment or its affect on users, though within HCI such an understanding is limited. Other disciplines i.e. psychology and social sciences have looked at change deployment. Theorists such as Lewin (1952), Lippett (1958) and Griffith (2001) attempt to offer solutions. However no one theory or approach is widely accepted and contradictions, adaptations and exclusions are continually being made. Conversely Woodward and Hendry (2004) and By (2007) have attempted to contend with these difficulties specifically stress as a result of change, believing that if change agents are aware of what an affected individual is thinking during the on set of change it will help to minimise or prevent damage. Studies such as these have focused on software development or organisational change from the perspective of developers or employees, they have not considered OSNs or individuals with cp. To fill this gap a longitudinal OSN monitoring and analysis study was carried out. The study identified how OSN changes are introduced, their affect on users, and the factors that encourage change acceptance or non-acceptance. The study was divided into three studies: two studies investigating realworld examples of OSN change by observing the actions of change agents (Twitter.com and Facebook.com) and their users reactions to the change process. A third study that asked OSN users about their experiences of OSN change was also carried out. A by product of these studies was a unique way of displaying OSN change and user acceptance on a large scale using a infographic and an inductive category model that can be used to examine OSN change. The findings from the five studies were then distilled alongside identified change management approaches and theories to develop an five-stage process for OSN change for change agents to follow. The process defined the requirements for OSN change including the change agent responsibilities before, during and after the change.

Policies aimed at increasing urban integration are currently amongst the most important priorities for the UK government. However, there is little evidence that policy attempts to induce mixing have been successful in the long run. Hence, the thesis addresses the following four questions. First, how do patterns of segregation arise? Second, why do they persist? Third, can they be changed by policy? Fourth, can we solve the methodological problems associated with modelling neighbourhood change? The thesis argues that population patterns - including levels of deprivation and segregation arise from the interactions between housing market choice, labour markets and neighbourhood status.

This study, based on novels written originally in English by writers from English-speaking West Indian nations during the period 1949 to 1980, explores the authors' vision of the motives, nature and processes by which liberation from colonialism is sought and achieved. Extended discussion is given to the following: V.S. Reid's New Day (1949, George Lamming's In the Castle of My Skin (1953), John Hearne’s Land of the Living (1961), Andrew Salkey's A Quality of Violence (1959), Paule Marshall's The Chosen Place, The Timeless People (1969), V. S. Naipaul's Guerrillas (1975), and Michael Thelwell's The Harder They Come (1980). Whereas New Day asserts the reality of a West Indian identity, In the Castle of My Skin stresses the need for a collective awareness of racial identity and its socio-political implications. A Quality of Violence and Land of the Living attest to the importance of establishing (in West Indian societies) spiritual values which are not Western and which are connected to the people's cultural history. Similarly, The Chosen Place, the Timeless People illustrates that a sense of history can greatly influence the struggle to achieve social change. Even though Guerrillas uses a chaotic situation on a specific West Indian island to suggest socio-political and cultural confusion in the West Indies generally, this novel nevertheless reveals the need for fundamental socio-political change. Unlike Guerrillas, The Harder They Come stresses the creative potential of the West Indian people as an agent for such change. Thus in conclusion it is argued that these novels confirm the West Indian nations' need to change their societies in ways which are more egalitarian and less colonial. But to bring about that change, the writers generally agree that psycho-cultural resistance requires a consciousness that no longer accepts the dictates of an oppressive culture but attempts to rediscover its own validity. This attempt at rediscovery of individual, communal, and racial identities indicates an increasing vitality in the struggle for change in these societies, whose past has been stolen, whose present is being directed, and whose future has been planned by external agencies.

Throughout history people have sought to prompt social change through theatrical experiences. The theatre has moved the masses in ways that have frightened governments and religious establishments into closing down theatres and banning theatrical material. History proves that theatre which causes change exists and works, but it also proves there is no one definition or formula for this type of theatre. Depending on the culture, time period, issue, resources and people involved Theatre for Social Change takes a variety of forms. However, theatre affecting change does tend to maintain two common threads: the creation of a new work and the pursuit of the uncertain elements which will ensure the work affects change in its audience. With no more than two common threads, where does a young actor, recognizing a social problem and desiring change prompted through a theatrical experience begin his or her journey? How does one create Theatre for Social Change? How does one know the theatrical work has successfully caused change within an audience? If there is no certain definition, no one way to pursue it, what direction should one follow? Following Peter Brook s example as set in his 1966 production of US, I will create my own original work in the form of a one-person show and use it as the canvas to apply Brook s ideas and techniques. I hope to find that in order for an audience to change they must first be willing to participate in a performance, even if it is a performance demanding a harsh confrontation with an ignored social problem. Through this thesis I aim to prove that through an actor s personal journey with a social issue, the actor leads the way for the audience to be willing to participate and take the journey themselves resulting in change. My written thesis will include the findings of my research and preparation, a detailed rehearsal and performance journal, the original script of my performance work Knowing Fires and a reflection on the completed process including audience feedback. All of these elements will hopefully lead to a conclusive and useful approach to creating Theatre for Social Change.
M.F.A.
Department of Theatre
Arts and Humanities
Theatre MFA

This PhD by Publication has investigated contemporary management of change practice in health and social care. Through eight case studies it explores change within different sectors, roles and organisations within national, regional and local systems. More successful change programmes are better able to understand their contexts, to design change theories that will work within these contexts, to fully implement the activities planned on the basis of these theories, and to have the resources and autonomy to complete the programme to its conclusion. Despite the relative success of some programmes, there are common opportunities for change management practice to be improved. These include -the meaningful engagement of service users throughout the process; setting of intermediary and final outcomes that provide opportunity for formative and summative evaluation, and in the use of relevant data to enable reflective change practice. It would also appear that despite the considerable body of knowledge regarding management of change this rarely explicitly influences change programmes and therefore stronger collaboration between academia and practice is still required. A pragmatic approach in which different academic fields collaborate to directly respond to the problems faced in practice would be beneficial.

Thesis advisor: Patrick McQuillan
The challenges facing our communities are complex, interconnected, and urgent (Kania & Kramer, 2011). Recognizing these challenges, policy makers, funders, and practitioners are turning to social partnerships as a promising strategy for community and educational change (Bess, 2015; Henig et al., 2015). Social partnerships involve the joining together of organizations from across sectors of society to tackle social problems (Crane & Seitanidi, 2014). The underlying premise of the Promise Neighborhoods program, one such social partnership, is that providing access to resources, services, and supports in a comprehensive manner will have the greatest effect on educational and community outcomes (U.S. Department of Education, 2018). This study seeks to shed light on the process of initiating and implementing a social partnership. In this study the author employed a two-phased, mixed methods design using social network analysis and interviews with organizational representatives to examine the network structures of communication and collaboration within one Promise Neighborhoods initiative: the Boston Promise Initiative. The sample for the social network analysis consisted of 33 individuals from 27 partner organizations. Further, follow-up interviews with 11 individuals were held to understand how network structures and processes might impact educational and community change. Findings from the social network analysis and qualitative interviews reveal networks of communication and collaboration rooted in a deep history of place-based change efforts, facilitating access to network resources and social capital among partner organizations. The findings highlight the importance of recognizing both challenges and opportunities of partnering with schools. Further, the findings highlight the importance of a lead organization’s ability to attend to both technical processes, such as facilitating communication among partners, and cultural processes, such as negotiating organizational identity. Taken together, the findings from this study point to the complex nature of cross-sector collaboration and identify structural factors and network processes that may impact the success of the efforts. By better understanding the structure and processes inherent in social partnerships, organizations can be better supported as they develop and implement cross-sector initiatives aimed at making meaningful change in their communities
Thesis (PhD) — Boston College, 2018
Submitted to: Boston College. Lynch School of Education
Discipline: Teacher Education, Special Education, Curriculum and Instruction

The turn of the millennium has heralded an explosion in the popularity of adventure sports often also referred to as alternative lifestyle sports or extreme sports. These are offering both new avenues and potential challenges to the traditional ways of conceptualising and practicing sport. This thesis analyses the development of adventure sports, in particular climbing and kayaking, as a subculture. It delivers a socio-economic history of climbing, analyses the role of the media in its development, its participation and its lived experience. Further it investigates the impact of globalisation, commercialisation and consumerism on adventure sports, and considers to what extent they are being brought into the mainstream as a result. The economic impact of participation in adventure sports is reviewed along with a study of how the make up of its participants has changed as the activities have become more accessible. Particular focus is placed on the analysis of the gender order, specifically looking at the experiences of women in adventure sports. For this purpose the sports culture found in climbing and kayaking is examined and the implications for the reconstruction of gender relations are considered. This study employs an ethnographic approach including both semi-structured and structured interviews with both adventure sports experts and participants, document and media analysis, participant observation and the more recent nethnography approach. One of the significant contributions of this thesis has been to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of the social, cultural and media environment of arguably one of the most popular lifestyle sports in the UK. It has also shown the strong interrelationship that exists between the media and adventure sports, and has demonstrated how the increased commercialisation and commodification of the activity has resulted in economic development particularly in some remoter parts of the UK through the packaging and provision of the climbing experience. At the same time some participants see this is ‘selling out’. This research has demonstrated how women’s participation in adventure sports has been subject to marginalisation, sexualisation and trivialisation similar to other mainstream sports. However, this work has also highlighted that there is room for optimism as new discourses of femininity contrary to the traditional male hegemony are emerging. Further research opportunities have been identified concerning issues of ethnicity and participation; the social, cultural and economic relationships between adventure sportspeople and rural communities. Emerging feminist discourses also warrant further investigation.

What kinds of social organisations (SOs) are more likely to succeed in promoting policy change? How and why can some SOs promote policy change in China? This thesis argues that the emerging tendency of social marketisation - social entrepreneurship and government purchase of services from SOs - can empower social organisations to facilitate policy change from the government. Based on three survey databases, this research shows that when social organisations become social enterprises or obtained government contracts for purchasing services, their likelihoods of success in promoting policy change increased and their influence on government policy making improved, after controlling for other resource and institutional factors. This research subsequently draws upon two in-depth case studies on Nonprofit Incubator (NPI) and China Foundation Centre (CFC) to demonstrate how social organisations can use entrepreneurial and marketised strategies to promote the emergence and spread of five new government policies in China. The underlying mechanism of their successes is the formation of social organisation chains (SOCs), which consist of infrastructure, financial, support, and operational organisations. The formation of SOCs created positive social change. Positive social change facilitated policy change. This study further applies the perspective of SOCs to examine how the three local states (Beijing, Shanghai, and Shenzhen) re-regulate the social organisation sector, and reveals a wider applicability of SOCs at the city level. Finally, this thesis has discussed the relations between social marketisation and other significant theoretical and practical issues. The contribution of this thesis is that it finds a positive relationship between social marketisation and policy change in China, and reveals the process and the underlying mechanism.

Food embodies our most intimate relationship with nature. We ingest it to survive. Without it, perish. Through time humans have physically distanced the places of food cultivation from human inhabitation. In recent decades green planning initiatives embraced urban agriculture as a critical element of sustainable communities. However, current approaches to bring food cultivation into cities require labor, capital, and physical resources that are often unavailable in sufficient quantity, quality, or duration for provisioning sites to be considered sustainable. Within each pillar of sustainability - economy, ecology, and equity - barriers exist. Rooted in indigenous land stewardship and food provisioning practices, permaculture (permanent agriculture) offers strategies and tactics to overcome those barriers. Despite mounting evidence that permaculture will result in more sustainable food systems, adoption is limited. Social aesthetics is the term employed by cultural theorists to describe how institutions, social groups, and collective projects codify their values and beliefs. The diffusion of innovation theory suggests that ideas and information from a highly specialized world require translation into a language the rest of society understands to reach widespread adoption. This thesis translates permaculture to contribute to a sustainable social aesthetic for food provisioning and change American food culture. The translation occurs on iconic public land - 'America's front yard'. In 1901 the National Mall was envisaged to serve as a stage on which democratic values are expressed and became the prototype for America's City Beautiful movement. Today, its carpet of lawn framed by American Elm trees epitomizes the economic, ecological, and equity challenges of monoculture landscapes. This project aims to express democratic values through polyculture. It invites every citizen to participate in acts of justice rather than submit to illusions of order and control. From site selection through design, spatial and temporal scale is critical. This thesis explores food's past to understand our present and imagine our future. The design creates an immersive food experience that equips visitors with the knowledge and resources to apply permaculture at the homestead, neighborhood, city, and regional scales. The remade front yard becomes the symbol of a country where places of food cultivation and human inhabitation are one and the same.
Master of Landscape Architecture
Food embodies our most intimate relationship with nature. We ingest it to survive. Without it, perish. Through time humans have slowly increased the distance between where we grow our food (the country) and where we live (the city). In the process, we have built a system where millions of people either suffer from diet-related illnesses or experience hunger on a regular basis. We have damaged our soils and introduced chemicals that have contaminated our waters and polluted our air. We have built a system that both contributes to and is threatened by climate change. Our relationship with nature has become toxic. For decades there have been movements to change, transform, or replace the food system. In cities across the country, these movements appear as organic food in grocery stores, community gardens, urban farms, farmers' markets, farm-to-table restaurants, and more recently, food forests. The problem is each requires labor, capital, and physical resources that are often unavailable in sufficient quantity, quality, or duration for them to be sustainable, let alone scalable. What if there is another way to grow food - a way that heals the soil, decontaminates water, supports biodiversity, and provides enough for everyone? Rooted in indigenous land stewardship and food provisioning practices, permaculture (permanent agriculture) offers strategies and tactics to reverse the negative impacts of the existing food system. Despite mounting evidence that permaculture will result in more sustainable food systems, adoption is limited. For it to become mainstream, someone has to translate it into a language society understands. I try to do that through this thesis. My translation occurs on iconic public land - 'America's front yard'. In 1901 the National Mall was imagined to serve as a stage on which democratic values are expressed and became the prototype for America's City Beautiful movement. Today, its carpet of lawn framed by American Elm trees epitomizes the economic, ecological, and equity challenges of monoculture landscapes. This project aims to express democratic values through polyculture. This thesis explores food's past to understand our present and imagine our future. The design creates an immersive food experience that equips visitors with the knowledge and resources to apply permaculture at the homestead, neighborhood, city, and regional scales. The remade front yard becomes the symbol of a country where places of food cultivation and human inhabitation are one and the same.

Tutte le organizzazioni hanno un impatto che riguarda l'economia, la società e l'ambiente naturale. Gli studi accademici di diversi filoni di ricerca (ad business and society studies, accounting, strategic management) propongono diverse definizioni di "impatto sociale" (Latane, 1981; Burdge & Vanclay, 1996;. Emerson et al, 2000;. Clark et al, 2004 ). Tutte queste definizioni descrivono, in modo più o meno esplicito, il concetto di "cambiamento", essendo basati sulla “teoria del cambiamento” (Weiss, 1972; Anderson, 2004) - vale a dire, il cambiamento che un'organizzazione può produrre nel modo di vivere delle persone, nella cultura, personale nelle aspirazioni, ma anche rispetto alla comunità, ai sistemi politici, l'ambiente, la salute e il benessere. La misurazione dell’impatto sociale conduce l'organizzazione a considerare i cambiamenti prodotti sugli stakeholders come risultato di una serie di rapporti causa-effetto proposteidalla teoria del cambiamento. L'obiettivo della misurazione dell’impatto sociale è quindi di capire, in termini sociali, ambientali ed economici, i cambiamenti che si sono verificati nella vita delle parti interessate, a causa di attività di organizzazioni, al fine di comunicarlo (Nicholls et al, 2009). Nonostante il crescente interesse sulla misurazione dell'impatto sociale, la produzione accademica sull'argomento è ancora scarsa. La presente tesi contribuisce alla discussione in corso, concentrandosi sulla teoria, i concetti e strumenti per misurare l'impatto sociale. In particolare, due contesti di analisi sono presi in considerazione: la finanza etica e l'educazione all'imprenditorialità. La tesi si compone di tre articoli. La prima ricerca vuole fornire una revisione della letteratura sul tema della misurazione dell'impatto sociale nel contesto della finanza etica, il secondo articolo è una ricerca-azione su una metodologia per misurare l'impatto sociale delle banche etiche sviluppata attraverso lo studio del caso estremo di Banca Popolare Etica, e la terza ricerca riguarda il contesto della formazione imprenditoriale e mira a studiare l'impatto di un programma MBA sugli antecedenti dell’intenzione all'imprenditorialità di studenti in Ghana. Più in dettaglio, il primo documento è intitolato " Review of impact assessment methodologies for ethical finance ". Questo documento fornisce una rassegna completa della letteratura sulla misurazione dell'impatto sociale nelle banche etiche. In particolare, si discute l'approccio delle banche etiche all’impatto sociale e alla misurazione dell'impatto sociale considerando diversi studi e analisi, poi proponendo un elenco di indicatori e outcomes da utilizzare per evidenziare l'impatto sociale delle attività delle banche etiche. Si segnalano, inoltre, alcune lacune nella letteratura che abbiamo posto come questioni aperte per la ricerca futura. La ricerca è stata portata avanti con due partner: la Fédération Européenne des Banques et Ethiques Alternative (FEBEA) e l’Institute of Social banks (ISB). Il titolo della seconda ricerca è: " Measurement of social impact in financial institutions: the case of Banca Popolare Etica ". Si tratta di una ricerca-azione su una metodologia per misurare l'impatto sociale delle banche etiche, fondata sul caso di studio di Banca Popolare Etica. Usiamo un set di dati composto da 1.385 organizzazioni e 1324 individui, beneficiari dei finanziamenti, per studiare la misurazione dell'impatto sociale dei progetti finanziati. Integrando in un unico processo di valutazione (sia quantitative che qualitative) diverse metodologie generalmente utilizzate singolarmente per la misurazione di impatto sociale (Social Return on Investment (SROI), Impact Reporting Investment Standards (IRIS) e storytelling), il caso mostra come i limiti tradizionali di metodologie per misurare l'impatto sociale possono essere superati. Il terzo e ultimo studio è intitolato " Does entrepreneurial education impact on antecedents of entrepreneurial intention? An analysis of an Entrepreneurship MBA in Ghana". Questo studio ha lo scopo di analizzare gli effetti di un programma di educazione all'imprenditorialità, sugli antecedenti dell'intenzione imprenditoriale di studenti in un paese in via di sviluppo. Lo studio analizza i risultati di una ricerca di impatto eseguita con partecipanti di uno specifico programma di formazione all'imprenditorialità: il "E4impact MBA", tenuto dal l'Istituto Cattolico di Business and Technology - CIBT in Accra, Ghana. Il metodo misto impiegato, era un approccio esplicativo (Creswell, Plano Clark et al, 2003), con un disegno quasi-sperimentale (Cohen e Manion, 1989) con test pre e post e misure di cambiamento auto-percepito. Abbiamo valutato i cambiamenti nelle caratteristiche psicologiche imprenditoriali (Need for achievement, Self-efficacy, Locus of control; Risk taking propensity; Tolerance for ambiguity) e competenze e conoscenze personali (Creatività, Conoscenza, Flessibilità, Networking e analisi) sul modello esteso della Teoria del Comportamento Pianificato. L'analisi mostra che il programma di educazione all'imprenditorialità ha un forte impatto sugli antecedenti psicologici e cognitivi delle intenzioni imprenditoriali. Quindi, la partecipazione al programma di educazione all'imprenditorialità può influenzare positivamente le intenzioni imprenditoriali degli studenti e il controllo comportamentale percepito sostenendo l'idea che le università hanno un ruolo fondamentale nel plasmare e promuovere le intenzioni imprenditoriali e le abilità attraverso programmi di formazione all'imprenditorialità.
All organizations have impacts that affect economy, society and the natural environment. Academics from different streams of research (i.e. business and society studies, accounting, strategic management) propose several definitions of “social impact” (Latané, 1981; Burdge & Vanclay, 1996; Emerson et al., 2000; Clark et al., 2004). All these definitions describe, more or less explicitly, the concept of “change”, being each one based on the Theory of Change (Weiss, 1972; Anderson, 2004) – i.e., the change that an organization can produce in people’s way of life, culture, personal and property rights, fears and aspirations, but also with respect to community, political systems, environment, health and wellbeing. The measurement of social impact leads the organization to consider the changes on stakeholders as a result of the set of cause-effect relations proposed by the theory of change. The objective of social impact measurement thus is to understand, in social, environmental and economic terms, changes that have occurred in stakeholders’ lives because of organizations activities, in order to communicate it (Nicholls et al, 2009). Despite a growing interest on social impact measurement, academic production in the topic is still scarce. The present Ph.D. thesis contributes to the ongoing discussion by focusing on the theory, concepts and tools to measure social impact. In particular, two context of analysis are at issue: ethical finance and entrepreneurship education. The work consists of three papers. The first research wants to provide a review of the literature on the issue of measuring the social impact in the context of ethical finance, the second paper is an action research on a methodology for measuring the social impact of ethical banks developed through the extreme case study of Banca Popolare Etica, and the third research concerns the context of entrepreneurial education and aims at studying the impact of an MBA program on the antecedents of entrepreneurship intention of students in Ghana. More in details, the first paper is entitled “Review of impact assessment methodologies for ethical finance”. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature on measuring the social impact in ethical banks. Specifically, we discuss the approach of ethical banks to social impact and social impact measurement considering several studies and frameworks of analysis, then proposing a list of indicators and outcomes to be used to highlight the social impact of ethical banks’ activities. We also point out some gaps in the literature that we left as questions open for future research. The research was carried on with two partners: the Fédération Européenne des Banques Ethiques et Alternatives (FEBEA) and the Institute of Social banks (ISB). The title of the second paper is: “Measurement of social impact in financial institutions: the case of Banca Popolare Etica”. This is an action research on a methodology for measuring the social impact of ethical banks, grounded on the case study of Banca Popolare Etica. We use a dataset of 1,385 organizations and 1,324 individuals, recipients of funding, to study the measurement of the social impact of the projects funded. Integrating in a single assessment process (both quantitative and qualitative) various methodologies generally singularly used for the measurement of social impact (Social Return on Investment (SROI), Impact Reporting Investment Standards (IRIS) and storytelling), the case shows how the traditional limitations of methodologies to measure social impact can be overcome. The third and last study is entitled “Does entrepreneurial education impact on antecedents of entrepreneurial intention? An analysis of an Entrepreneurship MBA in Ghana”. This study has the aim to analyze the effects of an entrepreneurship education program, on the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention of students in a developing country. The study analyzes the results of an impact research conducted with participants to a specific entrepreneurship education program: the “E4impact MBA”, held by the Catholic Institute of Business and Technology – CIBT in Accra, Ghana. The mixed method design employed, was an explanatory approach (Creswell, Plano Clark et al., 2003) with a quasi-experimental design (Cohen and Manion, 1989) featuring both pre-post tests and self-perceived change measures. We assessed changes in entrepreneurial psychological characteristics (Need for achievement, Self-efficacy, Locus of control; Risk taking propensity; Tolerance for ambiguity) and personal skills and knowlwdge (Creativity, Knowledge, Flexibility, Networking and Analysis) following the extended model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The analysis shows that the entrepreneurship education program has a strong impact on psychological and cognitive antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions. That is, participation in entrepreneurship education program can positively influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions and perceived behavioral control supporting the idea that universities have a key role in shaping and fostering entrepreneurial intentions and abilities through entrepreneurship education program.

Tutte le organizzazioni hanno un impatto che riguarda l'economia, la società e l'ambiente naturale. Gli studi accademici di diversi filoni di ricerca (ad business and society studies, accounting, strategic management) propongono diverse definizioni di "impatto sociale" (Latane, 1981; Burdge & Vanclay, 1996;. Emerson et al, 2000;. Clark et al, 2004 ). Tutte queste definizioni descrivono, in modo più o meno esplicito, il concetto di "cambiamento", essendo basati sulla “teoria del cambiamento” (Weiss, 1972; Anderson, 2004) - vale a dire, il cambiamento che un'organizzazione può produrre nel modo di vivere delle persone, nella cultura, personale nelle aspirazioni, ma anche rispetto alla comunità, ai sistemi politici, l'ambiente, la salute e il benessere. La misurazione dell’impatto sociale conduce l'organizzazione a considerare i cambiamenti prodotti sugli stakeholders come risultato di una serie di rapporti causa-effetto proposteidalla teoria del cambiamento. L'obiettivo della misurazione dell’impatto sociale è quindi di capire, in termini sociali, ambientali ed economici, i cambiamenti che si sono verificati nella vita delle parti interessate, a causa di attività di organizzazioni, al fine di comunicarlo (Nicholls et al, 2009). Nonostante il crescente interesse sulla misurazione dell'impatto sociale, la produzione accademica sull'argomento è ancora scarsa. La presente tesi contribuisce alla discussione in corso, concentrandosi sulla teoria, i concetti e strumenti per misurare l'impatto sociale. In particolare, due contesti di analisi sono presi in considerazione: la finanza etica e l'educazione all'imprenditorialità. La tesi si compone di tre articoli. La prima ricerca vuole fornire una revisione della letteratura sul tema della misurazione dell'impatto sociale nel contesto della finanza etica, il secondo articolo è una ricerca-azione su una metodologia per misurare l'impatto sociale delle banche etiche sviluppata attraverso lo studio del caso estremo di Banca Popolare Etica, e la terza ricerca riguarda il contesto della formazione imprenditoriale e mira a studiare l'impatto di un programma MBA sugli antecedenti dell’intenzione all'imprenditorialità di studenti in Ghana. Più in dettaglio, il primo documento è intitolato " Review of impact assessment methodologies for ethical finance ". Questo documento fornisce una rassegna completa della letteratura sulla misurazione dell'impatto sociale nelle banche etiche. In particolare, si discute l'approccio delle banche etiche all’impatto sociale e alla misurazione dell'impatto sociale considerando diversi studi e analisi, poi proponendo un elenco di indicatori e outcomes da utilizzare per evidenziare l'impatto sociale delle attività delle banche etiche. Si segnalano, inoltre, alcune lacune nella letteratura che abbiamo posto come questioni aperte per la ricerca futura. La ricerca è stata portata avanti con due partner: la Fédération Européenne des Banques et Ethiques Alternative (FEBEA) e l’Institute of Social banks (ISB). Il titolo della seconda ricerca è: " Measurement of social impact in financial institutions: the case of Banca Popolare Etica ". Si tratta di una ricerca-azione su una metodologia per misurare l'impatto sociale delle banche etiche, fondata sul caso di studio di Banca Popolare Etica. Usiamo un set di dati composto da 1.385 organizzazioni e 1324 individui, beneficiari dei finanziamenti, per studiare la misurazione dell'impatto sociale dei progetti finanziati. Integrando in un unico processo di valutazione (sia quantitative che qualitative) diverse metodologie generalmente utilizzate singolarmente per la misurazione di impatto sociale (Social Return on Investment (SROI), Impact Reporting Investment Standards (IRIS) e storytelling), il caso mostra come i limiti tradizionali di metodologie per misurare l'impatto sociale possono essere superati. Il terzo e ultimo studio è intitolato " Does entrepreneurial education impact on antecedents of entrepreneurial intention? An analysis of an Entrepreneurship MBA in Ghana". Questo studio ha lo scopo di analizzare gli effetti di un programma di educazione all'imprenditorialità, sugli antecedenti dell'intenzione imprenditoriale di studenti in un paese in via di sviluppo. Lo studio analizza i risultati di una ricerca di impatto eseguita con partecipanti di uno specifico programma di formazione all'imprenditorialità: il "E4impact MBA", tenuto dal l'Istituto Cattolico di Business and Technology - CIBT in Accra, Ghana. Il metodo misto impiegato, era un approccio esplicativo (Creswell, Plano Clark et al, 2003), con un disegno quasi-sperimentale (Cohen e Manion, 1989) con test pre e post e misure di cambiamento auto-percepito. Abbiamo valutato i cambiamenti nelle caratteristiche psicologiche imprenditoriali (Need for achievement, Self-efficacy, Locus of control; Risk taking propensity; Tolerance for ambiguity) e competenze e conoscenze personali (Creatività, Conoscenza, Flessibilità, Networking e analisi) sul modello esteso della Teoria del Comportamento Pianificato. L'analisi mostra che il programma di educazione all'imprenditorialità ha un forte impatto sugli antecedenti psicologici e cognitivi delle intenzioni imprenditoriali. Quindi, la partecipazione al programma di educazione all'imprenditorialità può influenzare positivamente le intenzioni imprenditoriali degli studenti e il controllo comportamentale percepito sostenendo l'idea che le università hanno un ruolo fondamentale nel plasmare e promuovere le intenzioni imprenditoriali e le abilità attraverso programmi di formazione all'imprenditorialità.
All organizations have impacts that affect economy, society and the natural environment. Academics from different streams of research (i.e. business and society studies, accounting, strategic management) propose several definitions of “social impact” (Latané, 1981; Burdge & Vanclay, 1996; Emerson et al., 2000; Clark et al., 2004). All these definitions describe, more or less explicitly, the concept of “change”, being each one based on the Theory of Change (Weiss, 1972; Anderson, 2004) – i.e., the change that an organization can produce in people’s way of life, culture, personal and property rights, fears and aspirations, but also with respect to community, political systems, environment, health and wellbeing. The measurement of social impact leads the organization to consider the changes on stakeholders as a result of the set of cause-effect relations proposed by the theory of change. The objective of social impact measurement thus is to understand, in social, environmental and economic terms, changes that have occurred in stakeholders’ lives because of organizations activities, in order to communicate it (Nicholls et al, 2009). Despite a growing interest on social impact measurement, academic production in the topic is still scarce. The present Ph.D. thesis contributes to the ongoing discussion by focusing on the theory, concepts and tools to measure social impact. In particular, two context of analysis are at issue: ethical finance and entrepreneurship education. The work consists of three papers. The first research wants to provide a review of the literature on the issue of measuring the social impact in the context of ethical finance, the second paper is an action research on a methodology for measuring the social impact of ethical banks developed through the extreme case study of Banca Popolare Etica, and the third research concerns the context of entrepreneurial education and aims at studying the impact of an MBA program on the antecedents of entrepreneurship intention of students in Ghana. More in details, the first paper is entitled “Review of impact assessment methodologies for ethical finance”. This paper provides a comprehensive review of the literature on measuring the social impact in ethical banks. Specifically, we discuss the approach of ethical banks to social impact and social impact measurement considering several studies and frameworks of analysis, then proposing a list of indicators and outcomes to be used to highlight the social impact of ethical banks’ activities. We also point out some gaps in the literature that we left as questions open for future research. The research was carried on with two partners: the Fédération Européenne des Banques Ethiques et Alternatives (FEBEA) and the Institute of Social banks (ISB). The title of the second paper is: “Measurement of social impact in financial institutions: the case of Banca Popolare Etica”. This is an action research on a methodology for measuring the social impact of ethical banks, grounded on the case study of Banca Popolare Etica. We use a dataset of 1,385 organizations and 1,324 individuals, recipients of funding, to study the measurement of the social impact of the projects funded. Integrating in a single assessment process (both quantitative and qualitative) various methodologies generally singularly used for the measurement of social impact (Social Return on Investment (SROI), Impact Reporting Investment Standards (IRIS) and storytelling), the case shows how the traditional limitations of methodologies to measure social impact can be overcome. The third and last study is entitled “Does entrepreneurial education impact on antecedents of entrepreneurial intention? An analysis of an Entrepreneurship MBA in Ghana”. This study has the aim to analyze the effects of an entrepreneurship education program, on the antecedents of entrepreneurial intention of students in a developing country. The study analyzes the results of an impact research conducted with participants to a specific entrepreneurship education program: the “E4impact MBA”, held by the Catholic Institute of Business and Technology – CIBT in Accra, Ghana. The mixed method design employed, was an explanatory approach (Creswell, Plano Clark et al., 2003) with a quasi-experimental design (Cohen and Manion, 1989) featuring both pre-post tests and self-perceived change measures. We assessed changes in entrepreneurial psychological characteristics (Need for achievement, Self-efficacy, Locus of control; Risk taking propensity; Tolerance for ambiguity) and personal skills and knowlwdge (Creativity, Knowledge, Flexibility, Networking and Analysis) following the extended model of the Theory of Planned Behaviour. The analysis shows that the entrepreneurship education program has a strong impact on psychological and cognitive antecedents of entrepreneurial intentions. That is, participation in entrepreneurship education program can positively influence students’ entrepreneurial intentions and perceived behavioral control supporting the idea that universities have a key role in shaping and fostering entrepreneurial intentions and abilities through entrepreneurship education program.

Similar to the goals of lifelong social activists, social workers are charged with pursuing social change for persons who live in poverty, face discrimination, and other forms of social injustice (National Association of Social Workers [NASW], 2008). In order to accomplish this mandate it is important to identify and emulate strategies that have historically been used by social activists to combat oppression and create social change. This dissertation research seeks to fill gaps regarding the lived experiences of lifelong social activists and to answer the following research questions: (1) How do individuals navigate a lifelong activism journey? (2) How have older lifelong social activists worked toward social change?

A multiple case study methodology was used to allow for a thorough examination and description of each participant’s experiences as well as a cross case comparison to produce common themes (Creswell, 2013; Stake, 2006; Yin, 2014). The sample consisted of four women and five men between the ages of 71 and 96 (M= 83). One of the participants identified as African American and eight of the participants identified as Caucasian. Data analysis followed multiple case study principles including with-in and cross-case analyses. Atlas ti, qualitative data analysis software, was used to organize the database and assist with analysis.

In response to the first research question, participants described three key components for navigating a lifelong activism journey: (1) conceptualizing social justice, (2) identifying and staying connected to motivating factors, and (3) cultivating and sustaining a lifelong activism journey. Each activist described their process for conceptualizing social justice which began with a sense of social justice that influenced their beliefs about how the world should be ordered; in turn, this drove how participants identified social problems and how they critiqued oppressive systems and social structures. Next, participants identified multiple motivating factors that moved them from conceptualizing social justice to working toward social change. Finally, the activists described several key elements that helped them cultivate and sustain their activism journeys including exposure to different membership groups and ideologies, establishing personal goals, relationships, identifying barriers, and self-reflection.

The second research question addressed strategies for working toward social change. For the activists in this study, a variety of resources, and movement through a series of stages was required in order to engage in social change work. A preparatory stage, organization stage, action stage, and a follow-up stage appeared to be interconnected and cyclical. Participants also identified the primary resources used throughout the activism stages, which included people, organizations, fundraising, and activism materials.

Each stage of the activism process revealed important information about how to work toward social change. The preparatory stage included a series of steps that prepared activists to organize for an action including recognizing the need for change, personal and group contemplation, investigating the social problem, and dividing the tasks necessary to move forward. The second stage, an organizational stage, moved activists from intellectualizing an issue to engaging in a social action. This stage of the activism process involved joining or forming social change groups, recruiting allies, training allies and peers, and detailed planning of the event. The third stage of the activism process included six social activism strategies: (1) advocating, (2) creative methods, (3) demonstrating, (4) educating the public, (5) providing resources, and (6) writing letters. The participants also identified a purpose and an intended outcome for each action. The fourth and final stage of the activism process was the follow-up stage. During this stage the participants assessed the action to improve future actions.

This thesis results from fifteen months of fieldwork in a working-class settlement located near an international touristic region within Bahia in the Northeast of Brazil. It addresses two main objectives: to offer an ethnographically-based description of the use of social media by working class Brazilians, and to examine the consequences of this use in relation to social change. The main theoretical framework I use comes from the field of linguistic anthropology. I examine locally traditional forms of communication that the anthropological literature calls ‘indirection’, a form of opaque speech that creates private spaces of interaction in situations of dense sociality. Indirection has been studied in postcolonial contexts as a means to protect socially vulnerable subaltern from everyday situations of conflict. The thesis moves from face-to-face uses of indirection to examine digital media enabling new possibilities for opaque communication. I also draw from this and other literature (analysing visual postings online) to posit that ‘private’ and ‘public’ are problematic notions to describe how my informants understand and use social media, so I propose as alternative the ethnographically-based notions of ‘lights’ on and ‘lights off’. Locals use the term ‘addiction’ to express the fascination they have for Facebook and WhatsApp, but while the Internet seems to symbolise modernity and prosperity, social media is used mainly for hidden acts of communication such as spreading rumours, gossiping, and for spying on each other. This suggests that, while appearing to be transformative, social media also reinforces forms of relations common in dense sociality such as the use of social control mechanisms. As such I posit that social media also serves the purpose of resisting changes associated with the expansion of formal work, the increasing presence of the state and the growing influence of Protestant Evangelical churches in low-income localities.

Since the 1980s there has been a growing recognition of the significant risks associated with climate change. By 2007, the scientific evidence that anthropogenic greenhouse gas emissions were causing global warming was irrefutable. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released its Fourth Assessment Report which describes in great detail the biophysical and social impacts of climate change, some of which are already being experienced. Many argue that Australia is particularly vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. It is also widely acknowledged that as one of the highest per-capita emitters in the world, Australia has a particular responsibility to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions. However, despite this, Australia’s response to climate change has been largely inadequate, giving rise to a need for research into factors shaping this response. Research has identified the important role that discourses play in shaping perceptions of climate change and responses to the issue. As a complex and intangible issue, climate change needs to be represented through concepts, terms and the communication of scientific knowledge. Thus people’s understanding of climate change is mediated by the information available to them, the discourses within which it is embedded, and the ways that these discourses construct the issue.
Thesis (PhD Doctorate)
Doctor of Philosophy (PhD)
Griffith School of Environemnt
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Background The mindset of an individual is made up by perception and motivation. Motivation is in turn driven by personal experiences, values and goals. Many times, a personal experience can act as a ‘Gandhi-moment’ or a triggering event to take action towards achieving a specific outcome. For a social entrepreneur, this outcome is many times some type of positive social change. In order for the social entrepreneur to create this, he or she needs to be innovative and creative, and therefore stay open towards new opportunities and perspectives to not get stuck in a particular mindset. Purpose The purpose of the thesis is to investigate the role of personal experiences and a person’s mindset in the start-up of a social project. Furthermore, the study aims to explore how a change in one’s mindset can result in social projects or enterprises that are successfully able to create social change. Method The research approach of the thesis takes the form of a multiple case study; one main large case and four illustrative smaller ones. The data analysis is of abductive style, going back and forth between theory and empirical data. Conclusion It can be concluded that personal experiences can serve as a motivational platform for an individual starting a project or enterprise, aiming to create a social change. However, other elements of a person’s mindset will also influence this process, in terms motivation and perception. Furthermore, for changes in society to occur, changes first needs to be made from within. Therefore, in order for a social entrepreneur to create actual social change; he or she needs to go through a process of mindset-change.

O presente estudo teve como objetivo analisar as práticas sociais em organizações do setor privado e sua aproximação com as expectativas e resultados da sustentabilidade social, a partir das dimensões da inovação social. Para tal, realizou-se um estudo de casos múltiplos, com objetivo exploratório e descritivo, de natureza qualitativa, sobre práticas sociais implementadas em três empresas brasileiras localizadas no Rio Grande do Sul. As empresas selecionadas desenvolvem ações voltadas à melhoria da qualidade de vida e à mudança social nas comunidades em que atuam, tendo em vista alguns desafios sociais. O processo de coleta de dados pautou-se tanto na pesquisa documental de fontes secundárias disponibilizadas pelas organizações estudadas, como na coleta de dados primários, através de observação direta e entrevistas semiestruturadas junto aos atores sociais identificados, em cada organização, como os responsáveis pela implementação e continuidade das práticas selecionadas. Todos os dados foram submetidos à triangulação, tendo em vista a qualidade do estudo. Após revisar a literatura, tendo por base as temáticas da inovação e da sustentabilidade em suas dimensões sociais aplicadas a organizações, foram destacados os objetivos e as expectativas que permitem analisar a presença de sustentabilidade social e os fatores indicativos de inovação social, com base nas suas dimensões. Os casos foram avaliados isoladamente e, posteriormente, foi feita a análise intercaso, a qual permitiu ponderar as semelhanças e divergências de cada organização, com base nas categorias de análise elencadas. Assim, foi possível inferir sobre a ocorrência da inovação social no contexto corporativo. A partir dos resultados do estudo foram elencados os fatores que caracterizam inovações sociais com base nas suas dimensões: objetivos e motivações, atores, processo de implementação e resultados obtidos. Os dados apontaram para a necessidade primordial de relacionar a inovação social aos objetivos e estratégias da organização, considerando que, a partir disto, sua prática social poderá ser legitimada. Também se verificou que, para serem consideradas como tal, as mudanças sociais resultantes da prática organizacional deverão conduzir a comunidade à autonomia e ao empoderamento, a fim de que sigam operando de forma sustentável sem a tutela da organização. A prática da inovação social corporativa é parte de um processo de mudança cultural e é frequentemente legitimada em modelos de negócios sociais, ainda que praticados por organizações com fins lucrativos. Ainda, considerando as dimensões e princípios da sustentabilidade social, confirma-se que a existência da inovação social corporativa é requisito para que se possa atuar em prol da sustentabilidade social, com base no que, de fato, pressupõe ser sustentável.
Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior, CAPES
This study aimed to analyze the social practices carried out by private sector organizations and their approximation with the expectations and results of social sustainability, from the dimensions of social innovation. In this sense, a multi-case study was carried out, with an exploratory and descriptive objective and qualitative nature about social practices implemented in three Brazilian companies located in Rio Grande do Sul. The selected companies develop actions that aim to improve the quality of life and social change in the communities in which they operate, considering some social challenges. Considering the proposed objective, the data collection process was based on documental research in secondary sources provided by the studied organizations and the collection of primary data, through direct observation and semi-structured interviews with the social actors identified as responsible of each organization for the implementation and continuity of selected practices. All data were submitted to triangulation, considering the quality of the study. After reviewing the literature, based on the general themes of innovation and sustainability in its social dimensions applied to organizations, the objectives and expectations that allow the analysis of the presence of social sustainability, as well as the factors indicative of social innovation based on its dimensions were highlighted. The cases were evaluated separately and later was made the analysis inter-case which led to consider the similarities and differences of each organization based on categories of analysis listed. Thus, it was possible to infer about the occurrence of social innovation in the corporate context. Based on the results of the study, the factors characterizing social innovations based on their dimensions: objectives and motivations, actors, implementation process and results obtained from the practices were listed. The results pointed to the need to relate social innovation, first, to the objectives and strategies of the organization and, from this, their social practice can be justified. It is also verified that to be considered as such, the social changes resulting from their practice should lead the community to autonomy and empowerment, so that they continue to operate in a sustainable way without the organization being ahead. The practice of corporate social innovation is part of a process of cultural change and is more easily legitimized in social business models, although practiced by for-profit organizations. Finally, considering the dimensions and principles of social sustainability, it is confirmed that the existence of corporate social innovation is a prerequisite for social sustainability, based on what, in fact, assumes to be sustainable.

The investigation of the relationships between migration processes and the reconstructions of social identities and of social relations within local, national and international contexts illustrates how social change in an Oaxacan community in Mexico is a complex, multi-faceted process. This study examines how migration processes and social change shape and are shaped by people and practices in specific historical moments interacting dialectically with broader social, economic and political structures. By paying greater attention to the quotidian and to the choices that people make as they go about their daily lives, the heterogeneity and multiplicity of community members' subjectivities and experiences are highlighted. Gender, ethnicity, race, age, class, sexuality, and religion are examined as crucial variables in processes of social differentiation and in the social reproduction of gender/racial/class hierarchies in which women and men are situated. The research applies the concept of hegemony to demonstrate that power is not separate from meaning; the social construction of meanings plays an important role in the creation of consent, collaboration or resistance. Community members have internalized their own domination through hegemonic processes, reproducing the dominant social order, yet they frequently challenge their own particular social locations within this social order. Migration processes and the globalization of communication and consumption in advanced capitalism have played key roles in these processes. New experiences and information technologies have led to a redefining and re-presenting of meanings and practices which have had negative and positive impacts on individuals, on families and on the community.

Recent youth justice policy and practice reforms within England and Wales have placed increasing emphasis upon service decentralisation and professional autonomy. They have thus provided room for manoeuvre for local youth justice services to develop both innovative forms of service delivery and frontline practice that represent a departure from a siloed and risk-centric YOT model of service delivery (Byrne and Case, 2016). Drawing upon empirical data gathered from a comparative case study within two contrasting youth justice services, this thesis explores the extent to which these opportunities have been capitalised upon on the ground. It argues that whilst there have been some examples of innovation in line with emerging critical evidence bases, the local negotiation of the reforms has been problematically characterised by varying degrees of continuity with the largely discredited risk-centric reforms of the New Labour era. The drivers of both continuity and change within local youth justice service delivery are thus explored, as well as the implications of this for service delivery and service users.

Communication is a key element in promoting social change and, currently, social movements, one of the main drivers of socio-political demands aimed at transforming the existing system of injustices and inequalities, are carrying out profuse examples of communicative actions, particularly in the online realm. In this context, this thesis seeks to contribute to advance in the current scholarship on online communication for social change and, specifically, to explore which features of citizens¿ online communication promote engagement for global peaceful social change. For that purpose, the research methodology combines mixed methods including bibliographic review of the literature in the field of online communication for social change, as well as (online) content and discourse analysis applied to an international initiative promoted by social movements. The study focuses on the case of United for Global Change, which is the name of an international day of protest that took place on October 15, 2011 (15O), following the reawakening of social movements from the Spring of that year. This case has been studied along three main axes: 1) analysis of web and social media content; 2) analysis of video activism and 3) analysis of media representations. Research findings suggest that the actual setting of Web 2.0 enables new forms of constructing knowledge and meaning that are being leveraged by social movements to insert new narratives and communicative strategies into public discourses to promote peaceful social change. Specifically, these online communicative actions embrace the following facets: cross-cutting issues, inclusiveness, justice, hope, peace and nonviolence, video activism, and media-orientation.

Blueskies University is a top UK institution: an old university, very prestigious, and a strong brand. As others it changed doctoral degree programmes in compliance with the Roberts Report, the QAA guidelines for research degrees, and the Joint Statement of the Skills training requirements for research students. These brought the importance of transferable skills to the fore. Universities should prepare students for life outside academia where research skills gained throughout the PhD may not be enough. A strong emphasis on completion deadlines is also affecting the structure of doctoral programmes. In this process the main PhD actors – supervisors and doctoral students – have not been heard. This thesis aims at giving voice to these two cohorts. Therefore I conducted 40 in-depth interviews in different Social Sciences departments at Blueskies University. The PhD experience as well as individual conceptions of the PhD were the main axes of my study. This research concludes that whereas the official skills discourse was widely perceived as being of little value, the views on the 3-4 years deadline were diverse. For the students, many of them gone over the deadline, this was of little relevance. However, supervisors were divided: some thought the deadline was a good thing. Students would have time for creative research throughout their academic career. Others voiced the concern that original thinkers were being rejected from PhD programmes for fears that their research could take longer. This thesis suggests that, for universities such as Blueskies University, the PhD may be losing its intrinsic value which conceives knowledge as an end in itself, and is being chosen for its extrinsic value, that of a passport to academia. It posits that the nature of social research is changing and therefore disciplines are changing too. Finally, the thesis questions whether universities are preparing intellectuals or efficient researchers.