Presentation on my research at TASCHA talk, 9 August 2012, UW, Seattle, WA.

1. S O CI AL
S a r a Va n n i n i R E P R ES E NTAT I ONS
NewMinE Lab
O F C O MMU NI T Y
Università della Svizzera italiana
Lugano, Switzerland M U LT I MED IA
C E NT R ES I N
@ TASCHA talk, 9 August 2012
M OZ AMB I QU E

2. My Topic:
What are the Social Representations of
CMCs in Mozambique?
T heor y:
Moscovici’s Social Representations Theory
and previous applications on telecentres.
Methods:
Quantitative and Qualitative methods
choosen and field challenges .
Results:
Work in progress!

3. My Topic:
What are the Social Representations of
CMCs in Mozambique?
T heor y:
Moscovici’s Social Representations Theory
and previous applications on telecentres.
Methods:
Quantitative and Qualitative methods
choosen and field challenges.
Results:
Work in progress!

5. C MCs Definition:
CMCs are community-based facilities
offering both community radio broadcasting
and t elecent re ser vices (access to the
Internet and other ICTs).
U N E SC O, 2 0 0 0

6. C M Cs i n M oz a mbi q ue
2000 UNESCO
2000-2004 8 CMCs in Mozambique (Community
Radios 1990s)
2004-2005 scale-up phase (plan: 50 new CMCs)
2010 MZ Ministry of Science and Technology
(128 districts – 5 years)
2011 34 CMCs
2012 36 CMCs

8. L o c al p e op le’ s p e r cep tion s

9. L o c al p e op le’ s p e r cep tion s
Communities’ perceptions are key sustainability factors.

10. My Topic:
What are the Social Representations of
CMCs in Mozambique?
T heor y:
Moscovici’s Social Representations Theory
and previous applications on telecentres.
Methods:
Quantitative and Qualitative methods
choosen and field challenges.
Results:
Work in progress!

11. S o c ia l R ep r e s en ta ti ons
Moscovici, 1973

12. S o c ia l R ep r e s en ta ti ons
systems of values, ideas and practices,
that are shared among a given group
Moscovici, 1973

13. (1898) Durkheim’s
Collective Representations
very general and broad
(ideology, myth, science)
often single and more
resistant to change source of
authority
with the functions of binding
societies together

14. (1898) Durkheim’s
Collective Representations
very general and broad
(ideology, myth, science)
often single and more contemporary societies are more
resistant to change source of
mobile and heterogeneous
authority
with the functions of binding plurality of representations and
societies together diversity within a group
(1973) Moscovici’s
Social Representations

15. enable individuals to
orientate themselves
and interpret their
world
2 f u n c t ion s o f S R
provide a code that
enable
communication
among the members of a
community

16. object
s e m iot ic t r i a n g le
of SR
subject group

17. intersubjectivity: need to be in relationship with
others to give meaning to the object;
the individual perception and the socio-cultural
context are not separated.

18. cognitive polyphasia: no mere reproduction
of the external reality, development and
negotiation of SRs lead to contradictions and
conflicts:
agency and creative power of the human being
are allowed.

19. dialectic: both prescriptive on human
behaviour and a product of human agency:
tradition vs change, agency vs structure.

20. To b l er on e M o d e l
Bauer & Gaskell, 1999

21. S o c ia l R ep r e s en ta ti ons
(Mis)Alignments in their conceptualization are a
good Sustainability indicator
Rega, 2010

22. My Topic:
What are the Social Representations of
CMCs in Mozambique?
T heor y:
Moscovici’s Social Representations Theory
and previous applications on telecentres.
Methods:
Quantitative and Qualitative methods
choosen and field challenges.
Results:
Work in progress!

23. I d e as Semi-structured Interviews
Pictures
Va l ue s
Focus Group
Pr a cti ce s Survey to “non-users”

24. I d e as Semi-structured Interviews
denomination, definitions, improvements
needed
Pictures
Va l ue s
Focus Group
possibilities and choices
Pr a cti ce s Survey to “non-users”

25. I d e as Semi-structured Interviews
benefits, motivations (not) to use
Pictures
how it should (not) be, benefits
Va l ue s
Focus Group
Pr a cti ce s Survey to “non-users”
reasons not to use

26. I d e as Semi-structured Interviews
usages, services offered, community
involvement
Pictures
Va l ue s
Focus Group
Pr a cti ce s Survey to “non-users”

27. My Topic:
What are the Social Representations of
CMCs in Mozambique?
T heor y:
Moscovici’s Social Representations Theory
and previous applications on telecentres.
Methods:
Quantitative and Qualitative methods
choosen and field challenges .
Results:
Work in progress!

28. I d e as Semi-structured Interviews
denomination, definitions, improvements
needed
Pictures
Va l ue s
Focus Group
possibilities and choices
Pr a cti ce s Survey to “non-users”

29. L o c al D e n omi na ti on o f C M C (#122)
Radio 87.7%
CMC 16.4%
other 10.7%
TC 7.4%

30. D e f i ni tion o f C M C (#144)
Combination of RC+TC 30.6%
LEARNING centre 18.1%
a RADIO 16.7%
Describe where it is 13.2%
INFORMATION mean 9.7%
ACCESS to ICTs centre 9.0%
SOCIALIZATION & Entertainment Place 4.2%
Community centre - CMC 3.5%
Place for Community PARTICIPATION 2.8%
Place where community can express its… 1.4%
COMMUNICATION mean (within… 1.4%

31. D e f i ni tion o f Te l ec ent re (#180)
LEARNING centre
42.8%
DNK 23.3%
ACCESS or USE ICTs place 23.3%
> Including Photocopies 12.2%
> Including Computers 12.2%
> including Internet 7.2%
INFORMATION ACCESS Centre 10.6%
RC + TC services 6.1%
Place full of Computers - STATIC 3.3%
COMMUNICATION centre 2.8%
a RADIO 2.2%
a LIBRARY 2.2%
Local Centre 0.6%

32. D e f i ni tion o f C o m mun it y R a d i o (# 184)
Local 25.0%
Information mean 23.4%
Belongs to Community 21.7%
DNK 14.7%
Communication mean* 12.5%
a Radio 7.1%
Place for Community Partecipation 3.8%
Education mean 3.3%
Entertainment mean 2.2%
IT place - Telecentre 1.1%

33. User whole User only Radio + Non
Staff TOTAL
TC CMC Users (4)
5.7% 0.0% 2.0% 2.2%
a LIBRARY
1.9% 2.6% 2.0% 2.2%
a RADIO
ACCESS or USE ICTs place - not 52.8% 6.4% 18.4% 23.3%
to look for info
28.3% 2.6% 10.2% 12.2%
> Including Computers
18.9% 0.0% 6.1% 7.2%
> including Internet
30.2% 5.1% 4.1% 12.2%
> Including Photocopies
5.7% 2.6% 0.0% 2.8%
COMMUNICATION centre
9.4% 28.2% 30.6% 23.3%
DNK
7.5% 10.3% 14.3% 10.6%
INFORMATION ACCESS Centre
41.5% 47.4% 36.7% 42.8%
LEARNING centre
39.6% 47.4% 34.7% 41.7%
> LEARN how to use Computers
0.0% 0.0% 2.0% 0.6%
Local Centre
3.8% 5.1% 0.0% 3.3%
Place full of Computers - STATIC
11.3% 3.8% 4.1% 6.1%
RC + TC services

34. User whole User only Radio + Non
Staff TOTAL
TC CMC Users (4)
5.7% 0.0% 2.0% 2.2%
a LIBRARY
1.9% 2.6% 2.0% 2.2%
a RADIO
ACCESS or USE ICTs place - not 52.8% 6.4% 18.4% 23.3%
to look for info !!
28.3% 2.6% 10.2% 12.2%
> Including Computers
18.9% 0.0% 6.1% 7.2%
> including Internet
30.2% 5.1% 4.1% 12.2%
> Including Photocopies
5.7% 2.6% 0.0% 2.8%
COMMUNICATION centre
9.4% 28.2% 30.6% 23.3%
DNK
7.5% 10.3% 14.3% 10.6%
INFORMATION ACCESS Centre
41.5% 47.4% 36.7% 42.8%
LEARNING centre !
39.6% 47.4% 34.7% 41.7%
> LEARN how to use Computers !
0.0% 0.0% 2.0% 0.6%
Local Centre
3.8% 5.1% 0.0% 3.3%
Place full of Computers - STATIC
11.3% 3.8% 4.1% 6.1%
RC + TC services

35. I d e as Semi-structured Interviews
benefits, motivations (not) to use
Pictures
how it should (not) be, benefits
Va l ue s
Focus Group
Pr a cti ce s Survey to “non-users”
reasons not to use

36. B e n ef its o f T C (#111)
LEARNING 49.5%
ECONOMIC 36.9%
ACCESS ICTs - including TV and Internet 35.1%
INFORMATION 14.4%
SOCIAL 9.9%
COMMUNICATION 2.7%

37. B e n ef its o f T C (#111)
basic
computer
skills LEARNING 49.5%
ECONOMIC 36.9%
ACCESS ICTs - including TV and Internet 35.1%
INFORMATION 14.4%
SOCIAL 9.9%
COMMUNICATION 2.7%

38. B e n ef its o f T C (#111)
shorten the
distances LEARNING 49.5%
improve CV/find a ECONOMIC 36.9%
job
ACCESS ICTs - including TV and Internet 35.1%
INFORMATION 14.4%
SOCIAL 9.9%
COMMUNICATION 2.7%

39. B e n ef its o f T C (#111)
LEARNING 49.5%
ECONOMIC 36.9%
ACCESS ICTs - including TV and Internet 35.1%
more time for
intellectual INFORMATION 14.4%
activities,
community
development, SOCIAL 9.9%
entertainment
and keep COMMUNICATION
youngsters away
2.7%
from drugs and
alcohol

40. 5 interviewers, with
different backgrounds
c h a l len g e s o f interviews collected have
different levels of in
s e m i-st ruc tu r e depth questioning
i n t er vi ew s data is sometimes
missing
questions added/removed
depending on the context

42. WC M
Pillar 1: Services
Pillar 2: Facilities & Tools
Pillar 3: People Managing
Pillar 4: People Using
(Cantoni & Tardini, 2006)

43. «In our centre we have only the fotocopy machine, and I would like it
P1 to improve, so to have all the activities of a full telecentre»
Ilha de Moçambique Staff 5 Photo 2

44. «I don’t like it because one day it can fall down on us, because it is
P2 broken, so i don’t like it»
Chitima Staff 1 Photo 2

45. «This (photocopy) machine stopped working two weeks ago and it is
P2 not working well. According to the technicians, we have to change
some pieces.»
Chiure Staff 1 Photo 2

46. P3 «I came to learn computers, this is what is important, and they are
teaching us very well.»
Chokwe User 7 Photo 1

47. « It is where young people learn information technologies (…)
P4 futhermore, they have other activities of interest for the young people
and for the community in general.»
Chiure User 2 Photo 1

48. What they DON'T LIKE (#93)
89.2%
10.8%
3.2% 2.2%
Services Tools&Facilities People Managing Users

49. Tools & Facilities
74.7%
25.3%
Facilities Technologies

50. Tools & Facilities
All Staff Users
88.4%
74.7%
60.0%
40.0%
25.3%
11.6%
Facilities Technologies

57. CMCs should… (reversed negative aspects)
... have premises in good conditions (technology
mainteinance, security issue, health issues)
... should have premises that look nice (disorder, walls not
properly painted)
...take care of unused spaces and even their immediate
outside
... be clean, litter should not be visible
...have technologies that work

58. - not always developed level
of abstraction
- specific language of the
pictures
c h a l len g e s a n d
-“overinterpretating” risk
a d v a nta g e s o f
- time&place issues
p h oto - eli cit ati on
+ attached interview part
+ different focus than the
interview
+ the method does not force
an answer!

59. - not always developed level
of abstraction
- specific language of the
pictures
c h a l len g e s a n d
-“overinterpretating” risk
a d v a nta g e s o f
- time&place issues
p h oto - eli cit ati on
+ attached interview part
+ different focus than the
interview
+ the method does not force
an answer!

60. - not always developed level
of abstraction
- specific language of the
pictures
c h a l len g e s a n d
-“overinterpretating” risk
a d v a nta g e s o f
- time&place issues
p h oto - eli cit ati on
+ attached interview part
+ different focus than the
interview
+ the method does not force
an answer!

62. n o n -use r s u r v ey
(non users of the T C but active users
of the radio)
Motivations not to use (interviews results)
Informations on respondent (computer & internet
knowledge, where they use ICTs, plan to use ICTs in future)
Media diet
Demographics

63. training to the interviewer
c h a l len g e s o f
parts difficult to understand
s u r v ey (choice of the interviewee,
maximum number of
(up to now) answers)

64. S a r a Va n n i n i
NewMinE Lab
T HANK YOU Università della Svizzera italiana
sara.vannini@usi.ch