This is an exploration of the power dimensions of participatory development and research, and an attempt to look at the shifts in power within communities and institutions which are needed for participatory ideas to be effective. The aim of the book is to connect theory and practice. The book looks at the theoretical basis to participatory development work, drawing on related debates in anthropology, development studies and feminism. Demonstrating that these ideas are equally applicable in the North and in the South, case studies of participatory research techniques are drawn from sites as diverse as development theatre in Mali to video making with homeless people in the UK. Further chapters examine the relative power of the researcher or development agent vis-Ó-vis the community.
After reviewing participatory research and development within communities, the book extends the debate by questioning the shifts in power needed if institutions are to operate in a participatory manner. The book will be of interest to academics, students and practitioners in both the North and the South, and all those involved with courses in development studies, anthropology and sociology. In addition, the book will be a useful tool for agencies and practitioners involved in participatory-style development or research initiatives world-wide.