Assessment Approaches: Social Indicator, Spatial, and Power Analysis

Social Indicator Analysis allows us to track trends over time

Economic Indicators 1980 1990 2000

UnemploymentRate

10.0% 12.0% 6%

Number of Children under 18 in Poverty

1500 2500 2700

Percentage all Children under 18 in poverty

15.0% 20.0% 18%

In general, what information would you need to be able to interpret these results?

Information Needed

From whom was data collected? Was anyone missed? How was it collected? What basic assumptions determined how the data was collected

(for example, people who stop searching for work are not included in unemployment statistics).

To determine percentages or make sense of frequency data, you need to know the total number of people in that population group.

It also helps to know whether unexpected events or situations determine changes in trends.

Be skeptical of figures. Does the organization collecting the data have a vested interest in presenting numbers that are high or low?

Data can be put into charts

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1980 1990 2000

Unemployment Rate

% of Children in Pop.

% of Children inPoverty

Time Series Analysis can be used to examine trends over time

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1980 1990 2000

Employment Rate

% of Children inPopulation% of Children inPoverty

Spatial Analysis

Mapping community boundaries, physical space, problems, and assets.

Social network analysis (exchange of resources among individuals and groups)

Geographic information systems (uses computer mapping and overlays of various attributes)

Census Tract 42.08, Fresno County, California

  4 miles across

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1980 1990 2000

Unemployment R ate

% of C hildren in Pop.

% of C hildren inPoverty

 

Social Network Analysis

Based on the assumption that people routinely exchange goods and services to get the things that they need.

Also assumes that strong networks are important for maintaining the quality of community life.

It’s important to understand networks in the community in order to recruit social change participants and to conduct outreach to people who need services.

We also assume that most communities contain informal leaders who provide assistance and information to people in the community.

We conduct network analysis:

Informally, by conducting informal interviews to locate natural leaders and to find out how people get help.

Formally, by conducting structured interviews with people to find out from whom they get help, give help, and whether these exchanges are reciprocal.

Information from these surveys can be put into a map

Latisha Kia

Jose

Focal Actor

We assess networks using these maps:

Number and density of linkages among members. Strength of the relationships among members. Reciprocity in exchanges.

(limited links suggest that our intervention should be to establish new linkages among people – for example a food cooperative or baby sitting exchange – and to strengthen existing networks!)

Power Analysis

We use abstract models to try to understand how decisions are made in communities.

The individuals and groups who influence these decisions.

The amount of power currently held by decision makers

Opportunities for those excluded from decision-making to gain power.

Decision-making Models

Elitist (small group makes decisions) Neo-elitist (some groups excluded because of

institutional practices) Pluralist – membership in groups opposing or supporting

issues change in relationship to the issue of concern. Many different individuals and groups are involved in decision-making. These groups have varying degrees of power and influence.

Incremental decision-making (compromise among groups, change in small steps; art of muddling through).

Public choice (money buys everything including political power).

The decision-making model we choose determines how we view society or a specific community

Elite

Minions

Masses

Power in Communities

Primarily elitist or pluralist structures. We identify power brokers by conducting

interviews to identify people associated with issues, using media accounts, tracking linkages on organization and business websites and organization letterheads. We can also examine links between politicians and industries, labor, and other donors by looking at campaign donations.

Example of Application of Neo-elitist Model: Voting in U.S.

Not everyone is registered to vote. Not every registered voter actually votes. People may need to travel to register or change

address & name. (excludes poor and those with disabilities)

Some states require photo I.D. (excludes poor) Some states exclude former felons from voting

(excludes 13% of all African American men) Polling places are not accessible to people with

disabilities.

We examine power in communities by looking at: Demographic make-up. (gender, ethnicity, social class) Social stratification. Industry Who donates money to candidates/organizations. Friendship or kinship ties. Business relationships. Membership in interest groups or associations. Linkages among interest groups and other organizations. Interlocking boards or memberships; social and other types of

networks. Overall power resources possessed by individuals and

organizations Political power – who is elected and who actually votes.

Two questions:

1) Who votes in the Central Valley

2) Who holds political and economic power