This article analyzes the communicative practices that undergird the Positive Deviance approach to social change and its contributions to the curbing of girls’ trafficking in rural Indonesia. Positive Deviance hinges on the premise that in every community there are individuals whose uncommon practices enable them to find better solutions to problems than their neighbours with access to the same resources. Our archival and field research in Indonesia indicates that Positive Deviance is time and skills intensive, yet it is also rich in communication and relational practices. It facilitates a unique vantage point to build human capital and sustain positive impacts.
Buscell, P. (2004). The power of positive deviance . Emerging, August–October, 8–20 .
2.
Dorsey, D. (2000). Positive deviant . Fast Company, 41, 284 . Retrieved from http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/41/sternin.html
3.
Dura, L. , & Singhal, A. (2009). Will Ramon finish sixth grade? Positive deviance for student retention in rural Argentina. Positive deviance wisdom series, Number 2, 1–8. Boston, Tufts University: Positive Deviance Initiative .
4.
LPKP Jawa Timur, Save the Children Indonesia (n.d.). The positive deviance approach for preventing girl trafficking. Retrieved from http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/indgirltraffick/
5.
Macklis, R. (2001). Successful patient safety initiatives: Driven from within . Group Practice Journal, 50(10), 872–878 .
6.
Martini, T. (2005). PD for girl trafficking prevention: Experience from south Malang . PD Bulletin, 1(4). Retrieved from http://www.positivedeviance.org/materials/publications.html
7.
Martini, T. (2008). Conference call, 8 September 2008.
8.
Pascale, R.T. , Milleman, M. , & Gioja, L. (2000). Surfing the edge of chaos. NY: Crown Publishing, pp . 175–181, 222–23, 284.
9.
Positive Deviance Initiative (n.d.) Interview with a PD father. Retrieved from http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/indgirltraffick/
10.
Positive Deviance Initiative/Save the Children Indonesia Field Office (2005). Two years after the workshop—Gadung Sari village. Retrieved from http://www.positivedeviance.org/projects/indgirltraffick/updateApr2006.html
11.
Save the Children—IFO (2005). Brief information on Save the Children-IFO Trafficking Prevention Program. Unpublished document. Jakarta: Save the Children, Indonesia.
12.
Save the Children (2004). Grassroots anti-trafficking initiatives: Mid-term monitoring and evaluation report. Unpublished document. Jakarta: Save the Children, Indonesia.
13.
Save the Children (2006). Final project document under USDOL and Save the Children, Inc. cooperative agreement. Unpublished document. Washington D.C.: Save the Children Federation Inc.
14.
Shafique, M. , Sternin, M. , & Singhal, A. (2010). Will Rahima’s firstborn survive overwhelming odds? Positive deviance for maternal and newborn care in Pakistan. Positive deviance wisdom series, Number 5, 1–10. Boston, Tufts University: Positive Deviance Initiative
15.
Singhal, A. , Buscell, P. , & Lindberg, C. (2010). Inviting everyone: Healing healthcare through positive deviance. Bordentown, NJ: PlexusPress .
16.
Singhal, A. , Buscell, P. , & McCandless, K. (2009). Saving lives by changing relationships: Positive deviance for MRSA prevention and control in a U.S. hospital. Positive deviance wisdom series, Number 3, 1–8. Boston, Tufts University: Positive Deviance Initiative .
17.
Singhal, A. , & Dura, L. (2009). Protecting children from exploitation and trafficking: Using the positive deviance approach in Uganda and Indonesia. Washington D.C.: Save the Children .
18.
Singhal, A. , & Rattine-Flaherty, E. (2006). Pencils and photos as tools of communicative research and praxis: Analyzing Minga Peru’s quest for social justice in the Amazon . International Communication Gazette, 68(4), 313–30 .
19.
Singhal, A. , Sternin, J. , & Dura, L. (2009). Combating malnutrition in the land of a thousand rice fields: Positive deviance grows roots in Vietnam. Positive deviance wisdom series, Number 1, pp. 1–8. Boston, Tufts University: Positive Deviance Initiative .
20.
Sparks, D. (2004). From hunger aid to school reform: An interview with Jerry Sternin . Journal of Staff Development, 25(9), 46–51 .
21.
Sparks, D. (2008). You can’t use the ‘T’ word around here. Unpublished manuscript.
22.
Sternin, J. , & Choo, R. (2000). The power of positive deviance . Harvard Business Review, January–February, 14–15 .
23.
Sternin, M. , Sternin, J. , & Marsh, D. (1999). Scaling up poverty alleviation and nutrition programs in Vietnam. In T. Marchione (ed.), Scaling up, scaling down: Capacities for overcoming malnutrition in developing countries (pp. 1177–79). Amsterdam: Gordon and Breach .
24.
Zeitlin, M. , Ghassemi, H. , & Mansour, M. (1990). Positive deviance in child nutrition with emphasis on psycho-social and behavioural aspects and implications for development. Tokyo: The United Nations University .
