Ideas for DevelopmentOur world seems entangled in systems increasingly dominated by power, greed, ignorance, self-deception and denial, with spiralling inequity and injustice. Against a backdrop of climate change, failing ecosystems, poverty, crushing debt and corporate exploitation, the future of our world looks dire and the solutions almost too monumental to consider. Yet all is not lost. Robert Chambers, one of the ?glass is half full? optimists of international development, suggests that the problems can be solved and everyone has the power at a personal level to take action, develop solutions and remake our world as it can and should be. Chambers peels apart and analyses aspects of development that have been neglected or misunderstood. In each chapter, he presents an earlier writing which he then reviews and reflects upon in a contemporary light before harvesting a wealth of powerful conclusions and practical implications for the future. The book draws on experiences from Africa, Asia and elsewhere, covering topics and concepts as wide and varied as irreversibility, continuity and commitment; administrative capacity as a scarce resource; procedures and principles; participation in the past, present and future; scaling up; behaviour and attitudes; responsible wellbeing; and concepts for development in the 21st century. |
From inside the book
Results 6-10 of 59
... political interest and support tend to receive a perverse protection: the levels of external support and of tolerance in evaluation vary inversely with their economic performance. Except in stringent economic evaluations, 'success' for ...
... political leadership prevented an orderly programme that might have served equity and peace by transferring land ... politicians, the easier course was always to keep it going. Moreover, commitment can hardly have been diminished by the ...
... political and moral responsibility to those who had been settled. After a phase of neglect, such obligations are now again more extensively recognized and accepted. Commitments have become more public and open to scrutiny, more ...
... political representation also provided commitment and support to local projects. It is only now, with lenders, donors and policy-makers interacting and influencing one another more and more, insulated in their capital city cocoons, that ...
... political risk and institutional commitment have diminished. In consequence, it may be easier to exit and to deny responsibility. The new dangers implied may not be well recognized by lenders, donors and recipients.The dangers include ...
Contents
1 | |
2 Aid and Administrative Capacity | 30 |
3 Procedures Principles and Power | 54 |
Review Reflections and Future | 86 |
5 PRA Participation and Going to Scale | 119 |
6 Behaviour Attitudes and Beyond | 156 |
7 For Our Future | 184 |
References | 221 |
Index | 252 |