, DVA3705
ASSIGNMENT 2 SEMESTER 2
2026
DUE 11 SEPTEMBER 2026
(i) Explain what is meant by popular initiatives in development. (10 marks)
Popular initiatives in development refer to activities that are undertaken by ordinary people and
contribute to development, even though they may not have been started with the explicit purpose
of development (Mpofu 2023). These initiatives demonstrate how people can become active
agents in their own development rather than passive recipients of top-down programmes.
According to the study guide, popular initiatives include grassroots organisations, environmental
actions, informal sector activities, opposition to oppression, social movements, social movement
unions, and empowerment groups (Mpofu 2023). The key characteristic of these initiatives is that
they emerge from communities themselves, reflecting a bottom-up approach where local people
identify their own needs and implement solutions based on their local knowledge and resources.
(ii) Give examples of popular initiatives in development. (10 marks)
Examples of popular initiatives in development include grassroots organisations that mobilise
communities around local issues, environmental actions where communities address ecological
concerns affecting their areas, and informal sector activities where people engage in economic
enterprises for survival and development (Mpofu 2023). Other examples are popular opposition to
oppression, such as women's organisations fighting against gender oppression, social movements
that advocate for political and social change, social movement unions that link labour struggles
with broader community concerns, and empowerment groups that build the capacity of
marginalised communities (Mpofu 2023). These initiatives collectively show how development can
be driven from below through collective community action.
(iii) Define social movements. (10 marks)
Social movements can be defined as broad alliances of people who are connected through a shared
interest in bringing about or resisting social change (Mpofu 2023). They are large, often informal
groupings of individuals or organisations that focus on specific political or social issues and operate
outside of established institutional channels. According to Diani, as cited in the study guide, social
movements are "networks of informal interactions between a plurality of individuals, groups
and/or organisations, engaged in political or cultural conflicts, based on shared collective
identities" (Mpofu 2023). Social movements are characterised by collective action, a shared sense
of purpose, and a commitment to challenging existing power structures through tactics such as
protests, demonstrations, and campaigns.
ASSIGNMENT 2 SEMESTER 2
2026
DUE 11 SEPTEMBER 2026
(i) Explain what is meant by popular initiatives in development. (10 marks)
Popular initiatives in development refer to activities that are undertaken by ordinary people and
contribute to development, even though they may not have been started with the explicit purpose
of development (Mpofu 2023). These initiatives demonstrate how people can become active
agents in their own development rather than passive recipients of top-down programmes.
According to the study guide, popular initiatives include grassroots organisations, environmental
actions, informal sector activities, opposition to oppression, social movements, social movement
unions, and empowerment groups (Mpofu 2023). The key characteristic of these initiatives is that
they emerge from communities themselves, reflecting a bottom-up approach where local people
identify their own needs and implement solutions based on their local knowledge and resources.
(ii) Give examples of popular initiatives in development. (10 marks)
Examples of popular initiatives in development include grassroots organisations that mobilise
communities around local issues, environmental actions where communities address ecological
concerns affecting their areas, and informal sector activities where people engage in economic
enterprises for survival and development (Mpofu 2023). Other examples are popular opposition to
oppression, such as women's organisations fighting against gender oppression, social movements
that advocate for political and social change, social movement unions that link labour struggles
with broader community concerns, and empowerment groups that build the capacity of
marginalised communities (Mpofu 2023). These initiatives collectively show how development can
be driven from below through collective community action.
(iii) Define social movements. (10 marks)
Social movements can be defined as broad alliances of people who are connected through a shared
interest in bringing about or resisting social change (Mpofu 2023). They are large, often informal
groupings of individuals or organisations that focus on specific political or social issues and operate
outside of established institutional channels. According to Diani, as cited in the study guide, social
movements are "networks of informal interactions between a plurality of individuals, groups
and/or organisations, engaged in political or cultural conflicts, based on shared collective
identities" (Mpofu 2023). Social movements are characterised by collective action, a shared sense
of purpose, and a commitment to challenging existing power structures through tactics such as
protests, demonstrations, and campaigns.
