Social Impact Assessment free essay sample

Definition SIA first emerged in the 1970s in the U. S, as a way to assess the impacts on society of certain development schemes and projects before they go ahead for example, new roads, industrial facilities, mines, dams, ports, airports, and other infrastructure projects. It has been incorporated since into the formal planning and approval processes in several countries, in order to categorise and assess how major developments may affect populations, groups, and settlements. SIA is often carried out as part of, or in addition to, Environmental Impact Assessment, but it has not yet been as widely adopted as EIA in formal planning systems, often playing a minor role in combined environmental and social assessments. As to standard definition Social impact assessment includes the processes of analysing, monitoring and managing the intended and unintended social consequences, both positive and negative, of planned interventions (policies, programs, plans, projects) and any social change processes invoked by those interventions. We will write a custom essay sample on Social Impact Assessment or any similar topic specifically for you Do Not WasteYour Time HIRE WRITER Only 13.90 / page Its primary purpose is to bring about a more sustainable and equitable biophysical and human environment. (International Association for Impact Assessment) A substantial academic literature has developed around the techniques and the application of SIA, and it is widely taught and practiced. Major consultancy firms offer SIA expertise (which could be offered to developers, governments, or campaign organisations). They, and individual skilled practitioners and academics are often called upon to produce SIA reports, particularly in advance of proposed new infrastructure projects. The academic backgrounds of SIA practitioners are diverse, but may include applied sociology, anthropology, geography, development studies, and planning. SIA overlaps substantially with the current interest in monitoring and evaluation (ME). ME is carried out after a project or development has gone ahead, to assess impacts and to see how well its goals were met. Evaluation is particularly important in the areas of 1. public policy, 2. health and education initiatives, and 3. international development projects more generally, whether conducted by governments, international donors, or NGOs. In all these sectors, there is a case for conducting SIA and evaluations at different stages. There is a growing concern that projects of all types (from large dams to the work of small rural development NGOs), are efficiently conducted, do not disadvantage local people, and do not generate negative social and environmental impacts. Increasingly, there is also a concern that non-experts and local people participate in the design and implementation of proposed developments or programmes. This can be achieved in the process of doing an SIA, through adopting a participatory and democratic research process.