EXPLORING AND COMPARING PARTICIPATION IN INTER/NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT DISCOURSE AND PRACTICE
December 2, 2010
| Country | Author’s major argument | Description of main organization/institution examined in chapter | Key points about national or local context | ‘Vertical’ levels in case study and main research methods | Major findings |
| Brazil
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Vertical case study approach – How participatory discourse matters.
Argument: Cultural politics continue to impede “the rich promise of participation” (pg94) She relates Brazil social problems and high level of inequalities to the colonial era – Carvalho (2002). Problems included: “concentration of political, economic, and social resources among the elite and the distortion of representative government by favoritism, institutional opacity, and unequal resource distribution.” – pg 96 |
Public primary schools served as “repositories of and incubators for the Party’s democratic goals” – “Citizen School Project” – (pg 94)
Members of the School Council could be up to 18 and were linked to the size of the school. Meetings had between 6 and 10 participants “The lessons of democracy have been incorporated into everyday practice, permeating the relationship of power that are developed inside schools and in its interface with the community.” – pg 107 (Azevedo 2000, 69) – City Secretary of Education. |
First World Social Forum – 2001 – Porto Alegre, Brazil, as a critique to the World Economic Forum – Switzerland
PT – deepening democracy –> expanding participation, transparency, and reducing inequality. Empowerment of citizens through education Participation in school politics – would form a “sort of muscle memory of active citizenship” among marginalized Brazilians – pg 98 “Party linked participation on the council to meaningful democratic processes.” – pg 100 |
School Councils – seen as passing values to the next generation.
She chooses a neighborhood with a high poverty concentration and a civic participation tradition. 10 months – interviewed participants in the School Councils in 3 of 7 public primary schools. Conducted semi-structured interviews with all 9 parents. Attended 18 meetings Informal interviews to parents not in the council. |
“Unfortunately, contrary to Azevedo’s contention, the dynamics on the School Councils I studied did little to genuinely democratize the Porto Alegre public schools.” – pg 107
Council parents did not promote community interests. All parental representatives were women In all the meetings no women introduced topics. Relationship between parents and administrators in the School Councils were hierarchical. The traditional political culture limited the impact of PT’s inter/national discourse of participation. |
| Country | Author’s major argument | Description of main organization/institution examined in chapter | Key points about national or local context | ‘Vertical’ levels in case study and main research methods | Major findings |
| U.S.A.
|
That they had impacted the local policy and had done so through increased participation
The small schools are finding some success in creating an environment of ownership. The location and the culture has allowed for them to have a space. |
Influence the national standard of curriculum
Teachers felt powerless to influence the curriculum Tried to set up a network to discuss their experience. They involved some students Tried to push the “small school movement” to the national level CES – Coalition of Essential Schools Conducted her research in the Humanities Participatory Academy
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Market based purpose
Movement to influence the national standard of curriculum Small civil movement trying to impose on the state. Democracy Professional networks Critical pedagogy, critical friends, and critical school. Trying to get teachers involved in their own personal development (Jessica work on a similar program in Colorado) |
Everyone in the school environment was interviewed and participated
Teachers were from out of school and come to the academy bringing questions Bring questions such as what do you think about our teaching experience, classroom experience. Take individual visitors to classroom to see how teachers talk to the kids They ask for feedback from the visitors – what do you think and how can it be improved. 2nd day, talk about how the visitors can take from the host institution Research focused on an New York City School
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Teachers felt that they needed to be involved to benefits the kids
Originally created network can have an impact on national policy They created a potential space Teachers felt empowered, the national curriculum is still there They are still trying to find their place in the national arena. System may benefit from the teacher’s choice to take part on the project.t |
| Country | Author’s major argument | Description of main organization/institution examined in chapter | Key points about national or local context | ‘Vertical’ levels in case study and main research methods | Major findings |
| Tanzania
|
Allows careful involvement of local actors
Compared the participation from a small price menu to a buffet A space has been created through this policies It may not be the space they want but they can maneuver within it. Participation allows by defining local actors but may not give them the opportunity to define it as they want. |
Haki-elimu – A national NGO. They went to Ukerewe – the district that they were looking at
24 villages PEDP – Identify that they should work through school committees In Tanzania – two words used for participation (Ushiriki vs. Ushirikishwaji) – The first word is involving once self – the other one is more hierarchical, they give the order and it was carried out Haki-elimu is an unusual NGOs asking individual take actions against injustices.
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Haki-elimu – This program works on education programs and their aim is to transform through participation and bring about educational change.
Use school committees – the framework of education if you want to do that is less involved. |
PEDP – Primary Education Development Program – took advantage of debt forgiveness programs and was supposed to be democratic
Hakierimu managed to train the people to make sure that the system was participatory The author so that there had been a number of meetings and that they had plans of action. Looking at one island in the middle of Lake Victory |
Despite the meetings and the plans of action, the government did not provide much effort after the two initial years to implement of changes
Funds ran out after the two initial years and the program was not institutionalized. |
Group discussion: What conclusions do you draw about the potential and the limitations of ‘participation as practice’ by comparing these three case studies?
- Lis argues that the lack of numbers makes it difficult to argue that it does make a difference. Having a wide spectrum of participation, it is hard to tell how they are successful.
- Participation is not just one thing. They were using similar designs and methods in their research, but participation was not the same across regions.
- Participation is strongly rooted in the history of the site and people’s perception. Context matters!
