Publication

This paper discusses post-modernist thought in development studies in order to construct a paradigm around the practice of Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA). The author deconstructs agricultural research, critiques positivist science and discusses concepts shared by post-modernism and PRA. She explores the philosophical and political implications of 'learning to change/changing to learn' and the gap between theory and practice, raising the question - does participation need a scientific paradigm? The article concludes on the risks of PRA moving into a post-modernist direction, discussing the role of participation to bridge the gap between development theory and practice.