Television and Rural Social Change: An Ethnographic Study of Two Villages in India

Author: Johnson
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2005-08-01
Features: The value of this book lies in its systematic analysis of the impact of television on rural life, filling the gap in this research field. The author first attempts to understand the changes in rural life in India, then explores the role of television in the transformation of rural society. In this study, the author is both an outsider and an insider, which allows him to gain insights into the subtle changes in attitudes and behaviors of Indian villagers. He can record many details that a local person might overlook due to familiarity, while also capturing the true meanings of certain attitudes and behaviors that an outsider unfamiliar with the local language and culture might miss. – B.S. Bavisca (Retired Professor of Delhi University, President of the Indian Sociological Association)
This book is Dr. Johnson's doctoral dissertation. It primarily employs ethnographic research methods to examine the social context of rural life in India and the role television plays in the constantly evolving Indian countryside. Through participatory observation and in-depth interviews, the author focuses on the actual lives of Indian villagers and listens to their authentic voices. With a background in both Eastern and Western cultures, Johnson has a unique advantage in applying mature sociological and communication research methods from the West to observe and analyze the impact of television media on the development of Eastern societies.