PLA 50: Critical reflections, future directions

This special issue of Participatory Learning and Action celebrates 50 editions.

Article, 30 September 2004
Collection
Participatory Learning and Action
A journal for newcomers and experienced practitioners alike.

October 2004

Guest editors: Robert Chambers, Nicole Kenton and Holly Ashley

As the scope and use of participatory approach becomes more popular and widespread, this publication provides a timely and challenging critique and looks ahead to ask: what next for participation?

Previous guest editors and authors pool their experience and expertise, and provide an up-to-date picture of developments in participatory approaches in their particular fields, including education and literacy, health and sexual reproductive health, natural resource management, agriculture, urban issues, children's participation, advocacy and rights, local government and deliberative democracy, gender, PM&E, communications, critical analysis, scaling up and institutionalising, and participation in the North.

The issue also includes extended Tips for Trainers, In Touch, E-participation and RCPLA Pages sections, as well as general articles.

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution-Non-Commercial-Share Alike 3.0 Unported License. Content can be freely reproduced for non-commercial purposes, provided the source is fully acknowledged. 

Follow the links below to download the whole issue or individual articles in pdf format.

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Contents

Editorial 

Critical reflections, future directions

Foreword
Jenny Rietbergen-McCracken

Critical reflections, future directions: an overview
Nicole Kenton and Holly Ashley

Reflections and directions: a personal note
Robert Chambers

Participation, literacy and empowerment: the continuing evolution of Reflect
David Archer and Nandago Maria Goreth

Voices aloud: making communication and change together
Oga Steve Abah

Reflections on gender and participatory development
Nazneen Kanji

Not for children only: lessons learnt from young people's participation
Louise Chawla and Vicky Johnson

Participation in sexual and reproductive well-being and rights
Gill Gordon and Andrea Cornwall

Gender, participation, health and positive thinking: a personal perspective
Alice Welbourn

Participatory methods and the measurement of well-being
Sarah White and Jethro Pettit

Rights, advocacy and participation - what's working?
Jethro Pettit and Sammy Musyoki

Completing the globe: tackling poverty and injustice in the North
Charlotte Flower and Vicky Johnson

Tools and methods for empowerment developed by slum and pavement dwellers' federations in India
Sheela Patel

Natural resources, people and participation
Michel Pimbert

Participatory approaches in animal healthcare: from practical applications to global-level policy reform
Andy Catley

Participatory development or participatory democracy? Linking participatory approaches to policy and governance
John Gaventa

Shifting perceptions, changing practices in PRA: from infinite innovation to the quest for quality
Andrea Cornwall and Irene Guijt

Regina's Participatory Learning and Action illustration challenge
Regina Faul-Doyle

General section

Beyond continuum thinking: participatory development is possible even in wartimes!
Benedikt Korf

Participatory monitoring of sanitation: Wotawati hamlet, Pucung, Indonesia
Kumala Sari and the Pradipta Paramitha Team

From MPA to NPA: Participatory assessment of water & sanitation projects in rural Nepal
AJ James, Raju Khadka, Michelle Moffatt and Corine Otte

Tips for trainers: this section includes: 

  • Quoting the issues, Alice Welbourne
  • Photographs, Reflect
  • Ground rules, Andrea Cornwall and Gill Gordon
  • Fishbowl, Gill Gordon
  • Ranking lines: exploring local indicators of wealth and health, Vicky Johnson and Robert Nurick  
  • In Touch