Participation and participatory approaches
This page addresses the theory and practice of participation and participatory approaches. There are overlaps and synergies between the present set of methods and approaches and the other two overarching methods, namely Stakeholder analysis and Social analysis.
Terminology that relate to participation and participatory approaches are available here. Documents on stakeholder analysis are available here. Links that relate to stakeholder analysis are available here.
Introduction and overview
In development cooperation, participation and participatory approaches have come a long way since the beginning, which can be located roughly to the 1980s. These are broad terms that refer to often differing conceptualizations of the relations between individuals and groups of people. A parallel development that fused with and reinforced the focus on participation was the term “stakeholder,” that represents people as having strong and rational views on development interventions that affect them. These stakeholders are, in this connection, the key focus of participation and participatory approaches. The participation of local people as stakeholders in development projects and investment operations run the whole gamut from a passive role of providing information on various issues, to an active role as directly involved in decision-making processes.
Sources: World Bank (1996). [access]
Specific tools and approaches
(Information to be added)