Doing Development Research: PRA a Useful Method

In nutshell PRA can increase local people’s understanding of their problems and opportunities; increase their control over development choices and plans; and initiate a process of community participation that can continue through programme implementation-either in terms of community management of local initiatives, or at least in terms of community monitoring of government schemes. But the important point is that approaches to data collection in development studies remain as diverse as philosophies and theories of development themselves. And this is even more so today, in an era associated with what may be refer to as post structuralism and post modernity the world is significantly more global and more complex than ever before and it is argued that singular theories and conceptualizations are too limiting by far. Meta-theories and metanaratives have been replaced by a multiplicity of conceptualization and approaches. Hence PRA gives opportunity to researchers, police makers, and development activists to bring wide variety of approaches, methods, tools and techniques together.     

 Alamgir, Mohiuddin (1988). Poverty Alleviation through Participatory Development. Development: Journal of the Society for International Development. 2(3): 97-102 Chambers, R. (1992). Rural appraisal: rapid, relaxed and Participatory, IDS Discussion paper No. 331. Institute of Development Studies, U.K.   - (1994). The Origins and Practice of Participatory Rural Appraisal. World Development. 22(7): 953-69.   -(1994) Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA): Analysis of Experience, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton World Development, Vol. 22, No. 9, pp. 1253-1268   -(1994) Participatory Rural Appraisal (PRA): Challenges, Potentials and Paradigm, Institute of Development Studies, Brighton World Development, Vol. 22, No. 9, pp. 1253-1268   - (1997) Whose Reality Counts. Intermediate Technology Publications, London   - (2004). Notes for Participants in PRA-PLA Familiarisation workshops in 2004. Institute of Development Studies, U.K.   Guijt, Irene and Cornwall, Andrea (1995) ‘Critical Reflections on the Practice of PRAs’, Participatory Learning and Action notes 24, IIED: London.   IDS. 1996. "The Power of Participation", IDS Policy Briefing Issue #7. August 1996, Institute of Development Studies, U.K.