Participatory development
Encyclopedia
Participatory Development seeks to engage local populations in development projects. Participatory development (PD) has taken a variety of forms since it emerged in the 1970s, when it was introduced as an important part of the "basic needs approach" to development. Most manifestations of PD seek “to give the poor a part in initiatives designed for their benefit” in the hopes that development projects will be more sustainable and successful if local populations are engaged in the development process. PD has become an increasingly accepted method of development practice and is employed by a variety of organizations. It is often presented as an alternative to mainstream “top-down” development. There is some question about the proper definition of PD. One definition of PD is as follows:
Advocates of PD emphasize a difference between participation as “an end in itself”, and participatory development as a “process of empowerment” for marginalized populations. This has also been described as the contrast between valuing participation for intrinsic rather than purely instrumental reasons. In the former manifestation, participants may be asked to give opinions with out assurance that these opinions will have an effect or may be informed of decisions after they have been made. In the latter form, proponents assert that PD tries to “foster and enhance people’s capability to have a role in their society’s development”.
Enabling "mutual learning" is another way that PD is conceptualized. The goal is to enhance “communication, respect, listening and learning between development workers and those they serve” in order to achieve more applicable, “useful outcomes”. Participatory Rural Appraisal
(PRA) is one example of mutual learning, a form of research which acknowledges that “illiterate, poor, marginalized people [can] represent their own lives and livelihoods... do their own analysis and come up with their own solutions”.
Some hope that PD will be able to cause a shift in power relations by “valorizing...voices” that usually go unheard by political and development groups. This speaks to the idea that PD has the potential to increase a population’s ability to be self-determining.. Those who promote this view of PD would like to see local communities making, rather than only contributing to, important decisions. These activists hope that PD will lead to better civil engagement, whereby people are able determine the ways their own communities function. In these cases, international organizations can support and draw attention to the efforts of groups working for self-determination.
movement can be viewed as an example of local people “claiming” space to advocate for political change.
, CIDA
, USAID, IRDP) suggests that there are many benefits to be gained through the use of PD. These studies suggest that while PD projects may have high start up costs, they will be less expensive and more sustainable in the long run . These studies also found that PD projects are better at addressing local needs and are generally more relevant to local populations than traditional development projects.
Community participation is also thought to increase the efficiency of development projects. Participation can also contribute towards more equitable outcomes so long as elite capture of participatory mechanisms is avoided.
More radical development thinkers have put several criticisms forward. PD projects have been accused of treating communities as if everyone in them is the same. This issue has been raised most specifically with regard to gender
. Critics suggest that while many organizations acknowledge the importance of including women in PD projects, the history of success has been limited. This may be because PD projects seek to address women’s immediate needs “without addressing underlying aspects of gender subordination such as the unequal division of reproductive labour, restrictions on female mobility, domestic violence, women’s lack of autonomy and so on”. Critics have also said that PD projects fail to adequately address other inequalities such as class
and caste
. In trying to give voice to communities, development agencies may connect only with elite members of a group, thereby re-enforcing local inequalities. PD projects have also been accused of enabling tokenism
, where a few “hand picked” local voices are allowed to speak as a “rubber stamp to prove...participatory credentials”. This view suggests that organizations only include local voices to improve their image, without really seeking to engage the population with which they are working.
- "Participation refers to involvement whereby local populations in the creation, content and conduct of a program or policy designed to change their lives. Participation requires recognition and use of local capacities and avoids the imposition of priorities from the outside."
Advocates of PD emphasize a difference between participation as “an end in itself”, and participatory development as a “process of empowerment” for marginalized populations. This has also been described as the contrast between valuing participation for intrinsic rather than purely instrumental reasons. In the former manifestation, participants may be asked to give opinions with out assurance that these opinions will have an effect or may be informed of decisions after they have been made. In the latter form, proponents assert that PD tries to “foster and enhance people’s capability to have a role in their society’s development”.
Manifestations
There are many different manifestations of Participatory Development. PD has been promoted as a way to improve the “efficiency and effectiveness” of “formal” development programs. This method usually involves external and local actors working together on a particular project. GTZ (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Technische Zusammenarbeit), a German development agency, describes participation as “co-determination and power sharing throughout the program cycle". By involving those who will benefit from the programs in their development and having local and international groups work together, it is hoped that development projects will be made more sustainable and successful.Enabling "mutual learning" is another way that PD is conceptualized. The goal is to enhance “communication, respect, listening and learning between development workers and those they serve” in order to achieve more applicable, “useful outcomes”. Participatory Rural Appraisal
Participatory rural appraisal
Participatory rural appraisal is an approach used by non-governmental organizations and other agencies involved in international development...
(PRA) is one example of mutual learning, a form of research which acknowledges that “illiterate, poor, marginalized people [can] represent their own lives and livelihoods... do their own analysis and come up with their own solutions”.
Some hope that PD will be able to cause a shift in power relations by “valorizing...voices” that usually go unheard by political and development groups. This speaks to the idea that PD has the potential to increase a population’s ability to be self-determining.. Those who promote this view of PD would like to see local communities making, rather than only contributing to, important decisions. These activists hope that PD will lead to better civil engagement, whereby people are able determine the ways their own communities function. In these cases, international organizations can support and draw attention to the efforts of groups working for self-determination.
Implementation
Some theorists have highlighted a difference between “invited” and “claimed” spaces for PD. Invited spaces are usually formal events where local communities are asked by development agencies to share their thoughts. There is often a goal of coming to an agreement. Conversely, claimed spaces are created when marginalized individuals step in and “[take] control of political processes”. The Zapatista Army of National LiberationZapatista Army of National Liberation
The Zapatista Army of National Liberation is a revolutionary leftist group based in Chiapas, the southernmost state of Mexico....
movement can be viewed as an example of local people “claiming” space to advocate for political change.
Benefits
Research conducted by several development agencies (World BankWorld Bank
The World Bank is an international financial institution that provides loans to developing countries for capital programmes.The World Bank's official goal is the reduction of poverty...
, CIDA
CIDA
Things known by the initialism CIDA include:* Canadian International Development Agency* Centro de Investigaciones de Astronomia, Venezuelan institute of astronomical investigation* CIDA City Campus* Council for Interior Design Accreditation...
, USAID, IRDP) suggests that there are many benefits to be gained through the use of PD. These studies suggest that while PD projects may have high start up costs, they will be less expensive and more sustainable in the long run . These studies also found that PD projects are better at addressing local needs and are generally more relevant to local populations than traditional development projects.
Community participation is also thought to increase the efficiency of development projects. Participation can also contribute towards more equitable outcomes so long as elite capture of participatory mechanisms is avoided.
Criticisms
When compared with traditional forms of development, PD is sometimes criticized for being costly and slow. A project may take longer if one has to engage, work and come to a consensus with local communities, than if one did not have to do these things. PD may also have higher start up costs than traditional development. In addition, PD is criticized for reaching a smaller population than traditional development. Community dialogue and augmentation may initially involve only a few individuals, where as dropped food aid reaches hundreds of people.More radical development thinkers have put several criticisms forward. PD projects have been accused of treating communities as if everyone in them is the same. This issue has been raised most specifically with regard to gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
. Critics suggest that while many organizations acknowledge the importance of including women in PD projects, the history of success has been limited. This may be because PD projects seek to address women’s immediate needs “without addressing underlying aspects of gender subordination such as the unequal division of reproductive labour, restrictions on female mobility, domestic violence, women’s lack of autonomy and so on”. Critics have also said that PD projects fail to adequately address other inequalities such as class
Social class
Social classes are economic or cultural arrangements of groups in society. Class is an essential object of analysis for sociologists, political scientists, economists, anthropologists and social historians. In the social sciences, social class is often discussed in terms of 'social stratification'...
and caste
Caste
Caste is an elaborate and complex social system that combines elements of endogamy, occupation, culture, social class, tribal affiliation and political power. It should not be confused with race or social class, e.g. members of different castes in one society may belong to the same race, as in India...
. In trying to give voice to communities, development agencies may connect only with elite members of a group, thereby re-enforcing local inequalities. PD projects have also been accused of enabling tokenism
Tokenism
In the arts, employment, and politics, tokenism is a policy or practice of limited inclusion or artistic and/or political representation of members of a traditionally marginalized group, usually creating a false appearance of inclusive practices rather than discrimination, intentional or not...
, where a few “hand picked” local voices are allowed to speak as a “rubber stamp to prove...participatory credentials”. This view suggests that organizations only include local voices to improve their image, without really seeking to engage the population with which they are working.
See also
- Progress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action (PCHP)Progress in Community Health PartnershipsProgress in Community Health Partnerships: Research, Education, and Action is a peer-reviewed medical journal published quarterly by the Johns Hopkins University Press. In each issue, one article is selected for a “Beyond the Manuscript” podcast....
- Participatory action researchParticipatory action researchParticipatory action research – or action research – is a recognized form of experimental research that focuses on the effects of the researcher's direct actions of practice within a participatory community with the goal of improving the performance quality of the community or an area of...
- Participatory technology developmentParticipatory technology developmentParticipatory technology development is an approach to learning and innovation that is used in international development as part of projects and programmes relating to sustainable agriculture...
- Participation (decision making)Participation (decision making)Participation in social science refers to different mechanisms for the public to express opinions - and ideally exert influence - regarding political, economic, management or other social decisions. Participatory decision making can take place along any realm of human social activity, including...
- Wikipedia:WikiProject International development
- Farmer Field SchoolFarmer Field SchoolThe Farmer Field School is a group-based learning process that has been used by a number of governments, NGOs and international agencies to promote Integrated Pest Management...
- Community-led total sanitationCommunity-led total sanitationCommunity-led Total Sanitation is an innovative methodology for mobilising communities to completely eliminate open defecation . Communities are facilitated to conduct their own appraisal and analysis of open defecation and take their own action to become ODF .At the heart of CLTS lies the...
- Community-based participatory researchCommunity-based participatory researchCommunity-based participatory research is research that is conducted as an equal partnership between traditionally trained "experts" and members of a community. In CBPR projects, the community participates fully in all aspects of the research process....
(CBPR) - Asset-Based Community DevelopmentAsset-based community developmentAsset-based community development is a methodology that seeks to uncover and utilize the strengths within communities as a means for sustainable development....
(ABCD) - Praxis interventionPraxis interventionPraxis Intervention is a form of participatory action research. Where other forms of participatory action research emphasize the collective modification of the external world, the praxis intervention model emphasizes working on the Praxis potential of its participants...
- OralityOralityOrality is thought and verbal expression in societies where the technologies of literacy are unfamiliar to most of the population. The study of orality is closely allied to the study of oral tradition...