The significant principles of PRA (and RRA) are examined, considering the importance of behaviour and attitudes, not rushing, handing over the stick, and being self critically aware. The power and popularlity of PRA is explained by the discovery that local peoples' own capacity for analysis is high, especially when relaxed rapport is attained, and visual and sequential methods are used. Validity and rigour is found to be high, illustrated by examples of farm and household surveys, ranking excercises, participatory village cencuses and rainfall data. PRA has been developed through practitioners, not theorists. In practice, PRA works as it reverses and shifts the emphasis, for example from etic to emic, verbal to visual, measuring to comparing and from extraction to empowerment. The realities of local people are paramount.
Publication year:
1994
Interest groups:
Those thoerists and practitioners concerned with the development of PRA, those who seek a deeper understanding of the principles of PRA.
Pages:
43 p.
Publisher reference:
Institute of Development Studies