As the country with biggest Internet population, by December 2011, China had at least 513 million Internet users. As the biggest developing country in the world, in the past three decades China experienced rapid social change and enormous economic development. The impacts of new media and ICT (Information and Communication Technology) on social change and development in China have attracted increasing attention among scholar communities. This dissertation aims to study the new media and ICT for social change and development phenomena in China. It draws upon data from my fieldwork and participant observations in the past three years as well as a nationwide large sample survey of ICT use among Chinese CSOs (civil society organizations). I situate this research primarily in the theoretical framework of communication for development and social change studies (e.g., Servaes, 1999; Servaes, 2008). In this research, new media and ICT for social change phenomena refer to the widely emerging new media and ICT for social change and development policies, projects, or actions initiated by different stakeholders including government, CSOs, and individual activists. Through a case analysis approach, this research analyzes specific new media and ICT for social change cases, conducted by different stakeholders, concerning urgent social change issues such as digital inequality, CSOs empowerment, government accountability and transparency, and hunger/malnutrition using various communication for development and social change theories as well as other new media studies theories and the ICT/new media for social change model that I propose in Chapter two. This research reveals: how different stakeholders engage in new media for social change and development interventions (policies, projects or actions); the communication channels involved in these interventions; the relation and the interactions of different stakeholders in these new media for social change interventions; the sustainability issue of these social change and development interventions. The findings of the research show that the new media for social change model I propose is an effective analytical framework for the study of new media for social change. The research reveals that a multi-channel perspective which incorporates ICTs and other communication channels as well as the interactions between different channels is of great significance in the study of new media for social change. Moreover, the analysis of the interactions between different communication channels shows that in the media environment of convergence culture (Jenkins, 2006), in social change actions, the relation between ICT channels and other communication channels is not an either/or relation. They interact with each and reinforce each other in the social change actions. The research also shows that the multi-stakeholders approach I employed can significantly enrich our knowledge of the new media for social change phenomena. The multi-dimensional relations and interactions between different stakeholders in social change interventions are important issues that the study of new media for social change should address.

The purpose of this study was to determine how secondary mathematics education changes in Hungary between 1867 and 1956 were reflected in journal articles of that time. In an attempt to accomplish this purpose, the researcher sought to identify which major political and socioeconomic factors affected the role and content of periodicals, how the content and approach of the topics changed, and who were the most prominent and influential authors of the periodicals between 1867 and 1956. This research investigates Journal of the National Association of Secondary School Teachers, the first periodical devoted to Hungarian secondary education published between 1868 and 1944, and Teaching of Mathematics, the first Hungarian periodical dedicated to mathematic education published between 1953 and 1956. The researcher employed historical-research methodology to examine the articles of the periodicals and categorize them based on similar content such as curriculum, teaching methods, school mathematics, and book/textbook reviews. The study also provides brief summaries of several articles. This research has shown that the history of Hungarian education in general was often influenced by foreign and domestic politics and ideologies. Studying journal articles provides a unique opportunity to observe real-time communication between educators and administrators and to analyze the effect of social and political changes which influenced mathematics education. Between 1867 and 1956, Hungary underwent major political and social changes—a dual Monarchy with Austria, independence as a truncated state, and occupation by Germany and later the Soviet Union. These changes significantly altered Hungary as a country and impacted its education system. While every country has undergone political and ideological influences in its educational history, Hungary was particularly affected by neighboring countries such as Germany and later the Soviet Union. Taking the broader perspective of the evolution of periodicals, this study demonstrated that the history of periodicals as a general form of scientific communication has passed through several stages. The journals, in some respects, are a bridge between educators and were affected by the political atmosphere of the country. In general, this study has shown that Journal of the National Association of Secondary School Teachers and Teaching of Mathematics were heavily influenced by social and political changes in Hungary, as well as foreign influences from countries such as Germany and the Soviet Union. These factors collectively formed Hungarian mathematics education between 1867 and 1956.

It is well known that the Teaching of English (TOE) originated from mission schools in China. However, there has not been an exhaustive study on the evolution of the TOE in mission schools from the early 19th century to 1949. Only in recent years did missionaries’ contributions to Chinese society begin to catch more scholarly attention, but most extant studies lack enough academic scrutiny and thorough exploration. To make up for the lack of research in this area, this dissertation is intended to carry out a comprehensive study on the origination and evolution of the TOE in Chinese mission schools from the sociocultural perspective through the analysis of the curricula, textbooks, pedagogies and assessments of the TOE in mission schools at each historical period to explore its possible contributions to Chinese education and Chinese society. Meanwhile, this study casts on a close examination on the relationship between the TOE in mission schools and the socio-historical contexts at each historical stage by positing it in the broader social and historical contexts of Chinese society to examine how the TOE in mission schools has become the unique product of the interplay of both Western Christian missions and the multi-fold sociocultural forces of Chinese society. Finally, despite the undeniable fact that the purpose for the TOE in mission schools is to expand the colonization of Western countries, the educational activities of Western missionaries including the TOE did contribute to the transformation and development of Chinese society in modern Chinese history. Therefore, this study is intended to illustrate how the TOE in mission schools has become a constitutive part of the social progress of Chinese society and contributes to that social progress during the transitional period in the modern history of China.The originality of this research also lies in that it creatively applies the sociocultural theory of literacy to this study both as the theoretical underpinning and research methodology (in a limited way) to illustrate how the TOE in mission schools is shaped by both Western Christian Movements and the social, historical and political forces of Chinese society. The theoretical perspective informs the methodology of this study. Due to the limitation of the data in this dissertation, this dissertation mainly employs a historical approach in the hope that the sociocultural perspectives on literacy can serve as working principles for the analysis of the complicated relationship between the TOE in mission schools and the specific contexts of Chinese society. The study is conducted from both the synchronic and diachronic perspectives at both macro- and micro-levels to demonstrate how the political upheavals, social changes and government’s education policies interacted with each other in the process of the shaping and reshaping the TOE in China. Finally, in line with the sociocultural theory on literacy the future research will adopt the ethnographic approach entailed by the sociocultural theory to further examine how the individual experiences of the teachers and students in mission schools were shaped by the dominant historical, cultural and political contexts of Chinese society.

This abstract provides a concise summary of the thesis, which examines the evolution of abortion laws in France and the intersection of women's rights, feminism, and healthcare. It emphasizes the shift from a complete ban on abortion to legalization and analyses the factors contributing to this social change, focusing on the role of feminist movements and women's rights activists. The study highlights France's success in recognizing abortion as a health issue rather than a political or religious one, leading to establishment of social systems that ensure safe and affordable access to abortion. It also emphasizes the importance of separating religious and political influences from public life and the need to recognize abortion as a human right based on international standards. Finally, the thesis contributes to novel theory development; it suggests that the spiral approach to studying social change provides valuable insights into the dynamic nature of the abortion debate and the need for continued focus on reproductive rights globally.

<p>  </p> <p>This dissertation is an examination of rural Hoosiers, and in particular to what extent they accepted outside assistance against a backdrop of disruption brought about by mechanization, depression, and in some cases dislocation in the first half of the twentieth century. The "farm experts" from Purdue University, and "government men" from federal agencies came to assist rural Hoosiers cope with the “Farm Problem,” joining a succession of outsiders who came to help. Those who came to the rescue confronted a particular quality of character influenced by environmental elements, migration patterns, and received world views. The study uses a range of sources. A wealth of secondary scholarship was written shortly after the end of rural New Deal programs during World War II. Purdue Experiment Station research publications, Purdue Extension annual reports, county Extension agents’ reports, farm journals, newspaper reporting and editorials, congressional records, records and promotional materials of the Resettlement Administration and its successor the Farm Security Administration, and personal correspondence all give voice to actors and observers at the time. This study contributes to our understanding of rural New Deal initiatives in the Midwest as witnessed through an Indiana lens. The inquiry reveals the uneven and sometimes incoherent nature of “progress” as promoted by agents of change. Try as they might, rural Hoosiers could not resist or control forces of change in the face of worldwide crisis of economic disruption, ideological confrontation, and military aggression.</p>

For a more equal, just, and sustainable society to emerge, much of the human population will have to change some of its paradigms and consequently behaviour in one way or another.  While part of society will need to learn how to live without unsustainable conveniences and control unconscious consumption, others will need to adapt their capabilities to deal with the effects of climate change. The urgency of the current environmental and humanitarian crises combined are forcing society to explore alternative solutions to such problems.  Some post-development scholars and agencies are also looking at the role of grassroots movements, such as degrowth, self-sufficiency and permaculture, to replace obsolete practices. This research is based on these post-development thoughts which, among other things, argues that less consumption in the industrialised world, facilitated by grassroots local actions, and learning from the epistemology of the South, is more effective in addressing inequalities and contribute to beneficial change in the world than traditional practices. This thesis examined who is part of the ‘grow your own’ community, how it is practiced, motivations and the impact growing your own food can have.  It also attempted to analyse the promotion of ‘grow your own’ as a contributor to tackle the excessive consumerism of the more affluent as well as a contributor to improve food security for the more deprived, in both, the Global South and North. The main methodology used to collect primary quantitative and qualitative data was surveys.  The data was analysed via a mixed approach, mainly using descriptive statistics and content analysis. This study found that most growers were based in the UK and above 50 years old.  The most popular produce were fruits, herbs, and tomatoes.  The main motivations to grow were, to buy less from shops, save money and eat more seasonal, local and organic food.  The main practice dissemination was word of mouth with some use of social media.  This research found that a local authority intervention in providing free plants to community groups in Bristol had a huge impact and the scheme expanded 66% over three years.

This degree project explores the role of Rohingya photographers in the refugee camps in Bangladesh and their use of visuals and social media as tools for communication for development and social change. The Rohingya, a predominantly Muslim community, have faced discrimination and persecution for decades in Myanmar, which has resulted in their displacement to Bangladesh. The study argues that these Rohingya photographers challenge the binary representation of refugees in mainstream media as threats or victims by portraying the community as proactive and caring. They have made an impact by reaching thousands of people through their collective activism on social media and photography projects, and have also fought for their rights to be credited and paid for their published work. The research is relevant in the context of the increasing number of refugees worldwide and the need to challenge negative perceptions and promote inclusivity. The methodological approach includes online interviews, virtual research, and photography semiotic analysis. The findings highlight the photographers' efforts to improve their situation, preserve their collective memory, and achieve participation, despite their lack of rights and the dire situation in the refugee camps in Bangladesh.

During the late 1970s Ghana was described as a collapsed and failed state. In contrast, today it is hailed internationally as beacon of democracy and stability in West Africa. In light of Ghana’s drastic image change from a fragile and even collapsed polity to a resilient state, this thesis contributes to the statebuilding debate by analysing the social change that occurred. Grounded in a critical theory approach the thesis applies a political settlement analysis to explore how power is distributed and changed over time between contending social groups; exploring the extent to which this is embedded in formal and informal institutional arrangements. Ghana’s 2012 elections serve as an empirical basis and lens to observe the country’s current settlement. This approach enables a fine grained within-case comparison with Ghana’s collapsed post-independent settlement. The analysis illustrates that while there has been no transformation of the Ghanaian state, however, continuous incremental structural change has occurred within it, as demonstrated by a structurally altered constellation of power. While internationally propagated (neo-)liberal economic and political reforms had a vital impact on the reconstruction process of state-society relations, Ghana’s labelling as “success story” evokes the distorted idea of a resilient liberal state. The sustainability of Ghana’s current settlement characterised by electoral competitive clientelism depends on a continued inflow of foreign capital. So far the mutually beneficial interest of portraying Ghana as a resilient state by its elites and donors ensures the flow of needed financial assistance to preserve the settlement. / Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC); European Commission Marie Curie Pre-doctoral Fellowship programme

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