Does PRA make sense in democratic societies? (PLA 44)

Do Participatory Learning and Action methods, and in particular Participatory Rural Appraisals, work as an effective tool in industrialised countries where functioning democratic institutions are already operating? This is the question posed by the author in this paper as he draws on experiences from development projects in rural Germany.

Participatory Learning and Action (PLA, formerly PLA Notes) is the world's leading series on participatory learning and action approaches and methods. PLA publishes articles on participation aimed at practitioners, researchers, academics, students and activists. All articles are peer-reviewed by an international editorial board. See: www.planotes.org

This article was published in PLA 44: Local Government and Participation (June 2002). ~Click on ‘More information’ to visit: www.planotes.org~Click on 'Additional information' to download the whole issue or individual articles for this issue of PLA.