Shifting Social Norms to Reduce Open Defecation in Rural India
Shifting Social Norms to Reduce Open Defecation in Rural India

Author: Varun Gauri

Publisher:

Published: 2018

Total Pages:

ISBN-13:

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Toilet ownership in India has grown in recent years, but open defecation can persist even when rural households own latrines. There are at least two pathways through which social norms inhibit the use of toilets in rural India: (i) beliefs/expectations that others do not use toilets or latrines or find open defecation unacceptable; and (ii) beliefs about ritual notions of purity that dissociate latrines from cleanliness. A survey in Uttar Pradesh, India, finds a positive correlation between latrine use and social norms at baseline. To confront these, an information campaign was piloted to test the effectiveness of rebranding latrine use and promoting positive social norms. The intervention, which made information about growing latrine use among latrine owners more salient, reduced open defecation practices across all treatment households, with average latrine use score in treatment villages increasing by up to 11 percent, relative to baseline. Large improvements were also observed in pro-latrine beliefs. This suggests that low-cost information campaigns can effectively improve pro-latrine beliefs and practices, as well as shift perceptions of why many people still find open defecation acceptable. Measuring social norms as described can help diagnose barriers to reducing open defecation, contribute to the quality of large-scale surveys, and make development interventions more sustainable.

Toilet Adoption in Rural India
Toilet Adoption in Rural India

Author: Saswata Biswas

Publisher: Taylor & Francis

Published: 2024-03-28

Total Pages: 225

ISBN-13: 1040000495

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This book examines sanitation and toilet access across rural India, focusing on psychological, socio-cultural, infrastructural, and normative barriers to the initiative of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). While sketching the evolution of sanitation policies in India, it assesses their impact on sanitation behaviour. It also studies the implications of variations in caste, religion, and geography on toilet usage across Indian states. By analysing data from various states and intensive micro-level studies of three states, i.e., rural Bihar, Gujarat, and Telangana, this volume: Suggests that socio-cultural factors are as significant as economic factors in shaping sanitation behaviour Argues that the concepts of cleanliness and pollution are often determined by the social-cultural context, rooted in historical events that have shaped traditional beliefs and ideas about space Explores gendered perspectives on the usage of and access to toilets Highlights the limited effectiveness of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) programs in encouraging toilet adoption and emphasizes the need for information dissemination at the ground level Gives recommendations for enhancing the adoption of toilets in rural India, including provision for more than one toilet per household, uninterrupted access to water, and behavioural change to combat open defecation This book will be useful to students studying sociology, psychology, social work, and development studies. It will also be an invaluable companion to NGOs, social workers and activists actively involved in water, sanitation, and hygiene. Moreover, this book holds immense value as a pivotal resource and point of reference for policymakers engaged in rural development with a specific focus on Sustainable Development Goals.

Toilet Adoption in Rural India
Toilet Adoption in Rural India

Author: S. N. Biswas

Publisher:

Published: 2024

Total Pages: 0

ISBN-13: 9781032726267

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"This book examines sanitation and toilet access across rural India, focusing on psychological, socio-cultural, infrastructural, and normative barriers to the initiative of Swachh Bharat Mission (SBM). While sketching the evolution of sanitation policies in India, it assesses their impact on sanitation behaviour. It also studies the implications of variations in caste, religion, and geography on toilet usage across Indian states. By analysing data from various states and intensive micro-level studies of three states, i.e., rural Bihar, Gujarat, and Telangana, this volume: Suggests that socio-cultural factors are as significant as economic factors in shaping sanitation behaviour; Argues that the concepts of cleanliness and pollution are often determined by the social-cultural context, rooted in historical events that have shaped traditional beliefs and ideas about space; Explores gendered perspectives on the usage of and access to toilets; Highlights the limited effectiveness of Information, Education, and Communication (IEC) programs in encouraging toilet adoption and emphasizes the need for information dissemination at the ground level; Gives recommendations for enhancing the adoption of toilets in rural India, including provision for more than one toilet per household, uninterrupted access to water, and behavioural change to combat open defecation. This book will be useful to students studying sociology, psychology, social work, and development studies. It will also be an invaluable companion to NGOs, social workers and activists actively involved in water, sanitation, and hygiene. Moreover, this book holds immense value as a pivotal resource and point of reference for policymakers engaged in rural development with a specific focus on Sustainable Development Goals"--

Author:

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published:

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 0198926731

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The Normalization of the Radical Right
The Normalization of the Radical Right

Author: Vicente Valentim

Publisher: Oxford University Press

Published: 2024-09-02

Total Pages: 321

ISBN-13: 0198926723

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Radical-right behavior is increasing across Western democracies, often very quickly. Previous research has shown, however, that political attitudes and preferences do not change as quickly. Vicente Valentim argues that the role of social norms as drivers of political behavior is crucial for understanding these patterns. Building on a norms-based theory of political supply and demand, he argues that growing radical-right behavior is driven by individuals who already had radical-right views, but who did not act on those views because they thought that they were socially unacceptable. If these voters do not express their preferences, politicians can underestimate how much latent support there is for radical-right policy. This leaves the radical right with less skilled leaders, who are unable to mobilize even radical-right voters to support them. However, if politicians realize that there is more private support for radical-right policy than is typically observable, they have an incentive to run for politics with a radical-right platform and to mobilize silent radical-right views. Their electoral success, in turn, leads to radical-right individuals becoming more comfortable in displaying their views, and impels more politicians to join the radical right. The book's argument makes us rethink how political preferences translate into behavior, shows how social norms affect the interaction of political supply and demand, and highlights how a political culture that promotes inclusion can be eroded. Oxford Studies in Democratization is a series for scholars and students of comparative politics and related disciplines. Volumes concentrate on the comparative study of the democratization process that accompanied the decline and termination of the cold war. The geographical focus of the series is primarily Latin America, the Caribbean, Southern and Eastern Europe, and relevant experiences in Africa and Asia. The series editor is Laurence Whitehead, Senior Research Fellow, Nuffield College, University of Oxford.

The Behaviorally Informed Organization
The Behaviorally Informed Organization

Author: Dilip Soman

Publisher: University of Toronto Press

Published: 2020-12-16

Total Pages: 354

ISBN-13: 1487537174

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Every organization is fundamentally in the business of behavior change, whether it be a government trying to get a business to comply with environmental regulations, a business persuading its customers to be loyal to its products, or a financial institution encouraging a client to start saving for retirement. Behavior change is critical to organizational success, but despite its centrality to organizations, we do not have a good understanding of how organizations can successfully employ insights from behavioral science in their operations. To address this gap, this book develops an overarching framework for using behavioral science. It shows how behavioral insights (BI) can be embedded in organizations to achieve better outcomes, improve the efficiency of processes, and maximize stakeholder engagement. This edited volume provides an enterprise-wide strategic perspective on how governments, businesses, and other organizations have embedded BI into their operations. Contributions by academics and practitioners from the Behaviourally Informed Organizations partnership highlight pragmatic frameworks and prescriptive outcomes via illustrative case studies. Featuring a foreword by Cass R. Sunstein, this book investigates key findings from BI, with an eye toward how it can be used to solve problems and seize opportunities in diverse organizations.

Handbook of Research Methods in Behavioural Economics
Handbook of Research Methods in Behavioural Economics

Author: Morris Altman

Publisher: Edward Elgar Publishing

Published: 2023-03-02

Total Pages: 533

ISBN-13: 1839107944

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This comprehensive Handbook addresses a wide variety of methodological approaches adopted and developed by behavioural economists, exploring the implications of such innovations for analysis and policy.

Voices On South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives On Women's Status, Challenges And Futures
Voices On South Asia: Interdisciplinary Perspectives On Women's Status, Challenges And Futures

Author: Emma J Flatt

Publisher: World Scientific

Published: 2020-06-24

Total Pages: 491

ISBN-13: 9811213275

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This book investigates the contemporary social, political and economic issues faced by women in South Asia. It focuses on the policies and practices that have challenged or perpetuated gender inequalities, and the evolving role of women in South Asian societies. With contributions from practitioners, policy makers, academics and civil society activists from across South Asia, this volume provides a broad and diverse range of viewpoints on South Asian women's labour force participation, political participation, education, and health, as well as country-specific insights.The volume is conceived as a stage for debate where specific insights act as a window into wider themes, practices and policies. Each essay is followed by policy-relevant recommendations and suggestions for avenues to improve current practice. This book will be relevant for undergraduate students and lecturers of South Asian studies, development, and policy studies, as well as industry practitioners.

Behavioural Incentive Design for Health Policy
Behavioural Incentive Design for Health Policy

Author: Joan Costa-Font

Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Published: 2023-05-31

Total Pages: 235

ISBN-13: 1009207482

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Behavioural economics has become a popular way of tackling a broad range of issues in public policy. By presenting a more descriptive and possibly accurate representation of human behaviour than traditional economics, Behavioural Incentive Design for Health Policy tries to make sense of decisions that follow a wider conception of welfare, influenced by social norms and narratives, pro-social motivations and choice architectures which were generally neglected by standard economics. The authors show how this model can be applied to tackle a wide range of issues in public health, including smoking, the obesity crisis, exercise uptake, alcoholism, preventive screenings and attitudes towards vaccinations. It shows not only how behavioural economics allows us to better understand such challenges, but also how it can design effective incentives for addressing them. This book is an extensive reassessment of the interaction between behavioural incentives and health.

Where India Goes
Where India Goes

Author: Diane Coffey

Publisher: Harper Collins

Published: 2017-07-10

Total Pages: 288

ISBN-13: 9352645669

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More than half the people who defecate in the open live in India. Around the world, people live healthier lives than in centuries past, in part because latrines keep faecal germs away from growing babies. India is an exception. Most Indians do not use toilets or latrines, and so infants in India are more likely to die than in neighbouring poorer countries. Children in India are more likely to be stunted than children in sub-Saharan Africa.Where India Goes demonstrates that open defecation in India is not the result of poverty but a direct consequence of the caste system, untouchability and ritual purity. Coffey and Spears tell an unsanitized story of an unsanitary subject, with characters spanning the worlds of mothers and babies living in villages to local government implementers, senior government policymakers and international development professionals. They write of increased funding and ever more unused latrines.Where India Goes is an important and timely book that calls for the annihilation of caste and attendant prejudices, and a fundamental shift in policy perspectives to effect a crucial, much overdue change.