Operation Smile.....and How Media has Played a Role Creating Awareness and Promoting this Medical Organisation

Operation Smile is an international humanitarian medical charity, which provides services to children and adults of all faiths. Operation Smile was founded in 1982 by Dr Bill Magee and his wife Kathleen Magee. It is non-profit and non-governmental organisation based in Virginia. It involves corrective surgery of cleft lip and palate to developing countries. 

The organisation assists the host country in managing and coordinating the surgical programs, educating the people of the country medical training, as well as contributing medical equipment and supplies. Operation Smile grows medical self-sufficiency in resource poor environments and is involved in scientific research. Through the organisations scientific research it gives them a better understanding of the incidence of cleft lip and palate with the aim of reducing the occurrence.

Nico Carpentier (2011) Media and Participation-A site of ideologicaldemocratic struggle, Intellect: Bristol

This book is composed out of two parts. In the first one, citizens’ participation is discussed in the light of most interesting social theories by author’s choice. Therefore this part represents aninterdisciplinary background overview. As such, it is unavoidably focused on a reduced list of theoretical approaches. Carpetier analyzes participation in frameworks of: spatial planning, social development, arts and museums and communication. 

There is no explanation why these and not others – such as economic, social care, education…contexts aren’t revisited. However, it is true that going further the author could have extended the book endlessly. On the other hand, the impression is that this theoretical overview is adapted to the choice of case studies presented in the second part of the book. It brings toreaders a serial of case studies describing concrete peoples’ attempts toengage in participation. The author treats participation as a structurally unstable concept which, in order to be obtained, demands everyday ideological and political struggle. For, citizens’ participation is the normative token in all models of democracies. But, it is by no means warranted that participation will be exercised in democratic practices.