Books

Action Research and New Media: Concepts, Methods and Cases

Gregory Hearn, Jo Tacchi, Marcus Foth & June Lennie, 2009

Hampton Press, Cresskill, NJ.

Action research is now a well-documented and well-accepted research methodology. Moreover, it is especially appropriate in new media research, where innovation and change are continual, and where processes and outcomes are usually not predictable and often involve fuzzy and subjective human elements. This book offers a systematic, in-depth academic overview of the application of action research methods to the field of new media. In this space, it is the first publication of its kind in what is a new but rapidly growing field.

This book is divided into three sections. Introducing the two key concepts, namely, new media and action research, the first section describes the underlying principles, processes, questions, methods and tools that are relevant to an action research approach to new media inquiry. This is followed by a deeper exploration of three advanced, innovative approaches to action research and new media: ethnographic, network, and anticipatory action research. The third and final section presents four case studies and their individual applications of action research in different new media contexts.

Finding a Voice Themes and Discussions

Edited by Jo Tacchi and MS Kiran, March 2008

This book has a particular audience in mind: it is aimed primarily at program-side policy strategists and decision-makers. We hope that those who are implementing similar projects or work in the ICT and communication for development fields will find it useful. We believe this work should also be accessible to and prove to be of interest to donor organisations and other researchers interested in communication for development. We write this book in the hope that on the one hand it will reinforce the need for horizontal and participatory approaches to communication. On the other hand we hope it will help to explain just why this is at the same time important and challenging, through the glimpses the book gives of participatory development communication in action.

Participatory Content Creation for Development: Principles and Practices

Edited by Jerry Watkins and Jo Tacchi, February 2008

This book highlights the application of participatory methods to the design, implementation and evaluation of culturally appropriate systems for local content creation. The examples are based on fieldwork conducted in India, Indonesia, Nepal and Sri Lanka between 2005-2008. Participatory Content Creation for Development is a non-technical publication aimed primarily at program-side policy strategists, decision makers and practitioners.

Forging Innovations: CMCs in Nepal

Karma Tshering and Kirsty Martin, 2007

A short book about community multimedia centres in Nepal published in 2007. You can download from the link below or pick up a copy from the UNESCO New Delhi office.

Local information networks: social and technological considerations

Seema Nair, Megan Jennaway andAndrew Skuse, 2006

This study was carried out in 2005 in collaboration with local EAR researchers and this report was published in 2006. It represents three case studies of communication initiatives in India. You can download it below or pick up a copy from UNESCO, New Delhi office.