| This study examines the use of video by social movement groups in post-dictatorship Brazil for engendering citizenship rights among shantytown dwellers. It is organized along the following lines: First, theoretical formulations on "democratic" and "popular" communication, the bodies of theory which set out to understand the ways in which participatory communication practices can contribute to community-based development and democratization goals, will be explored (Chapter Two).;Chapter Three provides an overview of the socio-political events leading up to the widespread use of video by social movement groups, community activists and popular educators. In addition, it examines grassroots media in the context of the Brazilian media ecology. The wide use of video by the vast array of social movement groups which dot Brazil's civil society map has necessarily brought about a wide range of practices and approaches to incorporating video into the movements' popular education and political organizing work. Chapter Four examines in greater detail what those functions and characteristic practices are.;The second half of the study moves away from the theoretical, historical and socio-political to look at grassroots video in practice. In order to evaluate the effectiveness of this innovation in stimulating community participation and community-based development, an evaluative case study analysis of the "Video in the Favela" program is divided. The evaluative section of the study includes the following: discussion of methodological choice, design and implementation (Chapter Five); an evaluation report of the "Video in the Favela" program (Chapter Six); and recommendations and conclusions (Chapter Seven). This second half of the study draws on the methods of the qualitative paradigm in educational evaluation (extensive observation, informal interviewing, analysis of program documents, etc.) and draws on data gathered in Brazil between 1990 and 1992. |
