Participation, development, power and democracy: an introduction to basic civic concepts: Part 1. Introduction, civics, participation

This document is the first part of a series of four parts. The objective of the series is to help readers understand the basic civic concepts around which society is organised. It and forms part pf the wider process of civic education organised by the church/NGO civic education network, the Community Publishing Process (CPP), which is an innovative democratic process involving thousands of Zimbabwe citizens. Through the process, the learners develop their confidence, creativity and skills by participating in the design of their own learning materials. The series is written in an easily accessible language using pictures and illustrations to explain concepts, and providing exercises and questions for discussion. It is based on participatory, problem-posing methods where readers are encouraged to analyse problems and search for their own solutions. This part of the series focuses on participation. After a brief introduction, the reader is introduced to the concept of civics (ôthe close examination of how a society is organised in terms of developmentö). The book goes on to examine the ideas of participation based on discussions with CPP participants, and ideas from African history and from international experiences. This is followed by an exercise on publicising the meaning of participation. Achievements and common problems in relation to participation, and strategies for strengthening participation are also discussed. The book also contains supplements with a village civic drama and trainerÆs guide for a civic workshop on participation