Context and complexity: anthropological reflections on PRA

The use and abuse of PRA has attracted considerable criticism from social anthropologists. This overview article discusses some of the wider concerns voiced about the practice of PRA by practitioners and academics working in development settings. The relative strengths and shortcomings of a PRA approach versus an anthropological approach are discussed. The article suggests that "anthropological concerns with reflexivity, social processes and context can help inform the practice of PRA and enable practitioners to appreciate the complex realities of the urban and rural poor. The challenges PRA raises for anthropology take critiques from within the discipline further, opening up new possibilities for development anthropology".