Immersions: reflections on practice (Arabic version)

This is Closing Editorial by the guest editors of the special issue of Participatory Learning and Action on Immersions: learning aout poverty face-to-face.

The theme for the special issue centres on experiences of face-to-face learning, often referred to as immersions - opportunities for development professionals to spend a period of time living with and learning from a poor family. This issue is a timely reflection of an emerging trend in development practice, drawing together the richness of immersion experience. It explores both the limitations and potentials of immersions by (i) bringing together diverse experiences, identifying their challenges and opportunities, and exploring their impacts; (ii) encouraging readers to talk about immersions, share their experience, and recognise that there are many sorts of immersion; (iii)inspiring people to have them, and help make immersions a regular practice for development professionals; and (iv) enabling readers to reflect, get/stay in touch, and follow up.

In this closing article, the authors review `good practice' in relation to immersions, and the ethical dilemmas they raise, and argue that the next phase of immersion practice should find more creative ways of letting the voices of the hosts be heard.

Our thanks to the Center for Development Services (CDS), Cairo for the Arabic translation. CDS is the Resource Centres for Participatory Learning and Action (RCPLA) Network coordinator. To download the full issue click on More Information. To learn more about RCPLA, go to the website www.rcpla.org