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Social Norms Chat
Social Norms Chat is a podcast for practitioners, funders, and changemakers eager to explore how social norms shape behaviors—and how they can be shifted to drive meaningful change. Hosted by Cäcilia Riederer from TransformNorms and featuring Sohail Agha, senior advisor at Global Health Visions, this podcast unpacks key concepts like aspiration vs. behavior, gender norms, and the power of reference groups.
Through thematic deep dives on topics like mental health, violence, and gender dynamics, we blend research, case studies, and expert insights to uncover what works (and what doesn’t) in fostering deep normative change. With special guests and real-world examples, we provide actionable strategies for those working in policy, advocacy, and community development.
Social Norms Chat
Episode 3: People & Norms - Reference Groups, Rolemodels and Champions
What are reference groups, both in theory and in practice? In Social Norms Chat’s third episode, Sohail Agha and Cäcilia Riederer go through the ideas of role models, champions and reference groups. Download our Toolkit: bit.ly/transformnormsguide
Projects and articles we mentioned:
Prevention Collaborative - Bandebereho
Female genital cutting in the Gambia: a case for Tostan
If you want to read more about Reference Groups, check out:
- Participatory Research Toolkit for Social Norms Measurement, UNFPA and UNICEF: https://www.unfpa.org/resources/participatory-research-toolkit-social-norms-measurement
Check out Sohail’s insights on his LinkedIn page: https://www.linkedin.com/in/sohail-agha/
If you have any question, feedback or insights please feel free to email us at caecilia@apolitical.foundation
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/transformnorms
Website: https://transformnorms.com/
Executive producer and host: Cäcilia Riederer
Special guest: Dr. Sohail Agha
Producer and writer: Dora Ehrlich
Editor: Tabusum Akter