scholarly journals Reflexivity in the negotiation of participation: Insights from a culturally-embedded community project in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nguyen Hai Duy Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Participatory Development ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Auto Ethnography ◽  
Community Projects ◽  
Culturally Embedded

<p>This research aims to explore the possible negotiation of participation within development practice in Vietnam based on different understandings of reflexivity among different development actors. Specifically, it adopts a qualitative approach, using a sustainable community livelihoods project in Central Vietnam as a case study, to ask the following questions: (1) How do Western and local development facilitators understand reflexivity in participatory development in Vietnam?; and (2) How do Western and local development facilitators negotiate and practice reflexivity in participatory development in Vietnam?  These questions are important because while participation and fieldwork partnerships in community projects promise mutually-beneficial opportunities for shared learning, they also involve negotiations of power. The reflexivity of development practitioners assumes that they can obtain thorough understanding and knowledge of the local culture and facilitate participation appropriately, which may not actually be the case. Secondly, little is known about how participants think or practice their own culturally-embedded understandings of reflexivity in their interactions with non-local practitioners. Thirdly, there is a knowledge gap about how participation intersects with reflexivity as “Western” development discourses and local understandings are negotiated.  Semi-structured interviews were employed with three groups of people positioned differently within the case study project: international development practitioners, Vietnamese development practitioners and local community members. Interpretative methods of auto-ethnography and reflexive writings were used to analyse the researcher’s own understandings of reflexivity and the working of power from his prior work as a translator in this project.  Building on existing critiques of reflexivity, and through careful analysis, the thesis interrogates assumed links between reflexivity and better facilitation in community projects. The negotiations explored in this research include rethinking the principle of reflexivity in the context of local cultural norms as these significantly shape values of development work and likely benefits for practitioners and participants. From extracted perspectives of research participants through semi-structured interviews and the researcher’s reflections by means of auto-ethnography, an alternative approach is suggested to aid development practitioners in reflecting upon notions of “self” and “others” in order to examine various conceptions of participation in theory and practice.</p>

scholarly journals Reflexivity in the negotiation of participation: Insights from a culturally-embedded community project in Vietnam

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Nguyen Hai Duy Nguyen
Keyword(s):  
International Development ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Participatory Development ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Auto Ethnography ◽  
Community Projects ◽  
Culturally Embedded

<p>This research aims to explore the possible negotiation of participation within development practice in Vietnam based on different understandings of reflexivity among different development actors. Specifically, it adopts a qualitative approach, using a sustainable community livelihoods project in Central Vietnam as a case study, to ask the following questions: (1) How do Western and local development facilitators understand reflexivity in participatory development in Vietnam?; and (2) How do Western and local development facilitators negotiate and practice reflexivity in participatory development in Vietnam?  These questions are important because while participation and fieldwork partnerships in community projects promise mutually-beneficial opportunities for shared learning, they also involve negotiations of power. The reflexivity of development practitioners assumes that they can obtain thorough understanding and knowledge of the local culture and facilitate participation appropriately, which may not actually be the case. Secondly, little is known about how participants think or practice their own culturally-embedded understandings of reflexivity in their interactions with non-local practitioners. Thirdly, there is a knowledge gap about how participation intersects with reflexivity as “Western” development discourses and local understandings are negotiated.  Semi-structured interviews were employed with three groups of people positioned differently within the case study project: international development practitioners, Vietnamese development practitioners and local community members. Interpretative methods of auto-ethnography and reflexive writings were used to analyse the researcher’s own understandings of reflexivity and the working of power from his prior work as a translator in this project.  Building on existing critiques of reflexivity, and through careful analysis, the thesis interrogates assumed links between reflexivity and better facilitation in community projects. The negotiations explored in this research include rethinking the principle of reflexivity in the context of local cultural norms as these significantly shape values of development work and likely benefits for practitioners and participants. From extracted perspectives of research participants through semi-structured interviews and the researcher’s reflections by means of auto-ethnography, an alternative approach is suggested to aid development practitioners in reflecting upon notions of “self” and “others” in order to examine various conceptions of participation in theory and practice.</p>

scholarly journals Sustainable Development in Island Communities: The Case Study of Postira

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (3) ◽  
pp. 254-269 ◽  
Author(s):  
Željka Tonković ◽  
Jelena Zlatar
Keyword(s):  
Sustainable Development ◽  
Community Development ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Community Development ◽  
Island Communities

Abstract The article shows the results of the case study of Postira, a village and a municipality on the island of Brač (Croatia) and presents a positive example of sustainable community development on islands in the post-transition social context. Based on the theory of sustainable local community development and its four pillars (economic, ecological, social and cultural), we analyse both the secondary data and the primary data collected from semi-structured interviews with the key actors of local development. The study shows that economic, ecological, social and cultural domaines are connected in Postira which allows for sustainable development of the place. By examining various aspects of sustainable development in Postira, we present the general framework of sustainable island development. It is based on integral development of the local community on sustainability principles, it defines key processes and guidelines and can be applied to rural and island areas, taking into account the specificities of each community.

scholarly journals An Examination of Rural Homestay Operations through the Lens of the Sustainable Livelihood Framework: A Case Study of Phou Khao Khouay National Park Community-Based Tourism (PKK NP CBT), Lao PDR

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Khamsavay Pasanchay
Keyword(s):  
Qualitative Methodology ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Culture Shock ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Sustainable Livelihood Framework ◽  
The Government

<p>In many developing countries, Community-Based Tourism (CBT) is regarded as a sustainable tourism development tool as well as a catalyst for rural community development through the involvement of local people and the improvement of the standard of living. To extend the involvement of the local community in CBT, homestay tourism is a form of operation unit and its concept aims to facilitate individual household social-cultural and economic benefit from CBT directly. Although homestays are widely regarded as providing better livelihoods directly to the homestay operators, it is not clear to what extent homestay operations actually contribute to the sustainable livelihood of homestay operators when considering the wider livelihood implications. This research seeks to explore this gap by analysing homestay operators through the lens of Sustainable Livelihood theory (Scoones, 1998). This research adopts a post-positivist paradigm with qualitative methodology. Taking a case study approach, semi-structured interviews and observations were employed to collect primary data from community leaders, heads and deputy heads of the tourist guides, and homestay operators themselves.  Results of the study found that although homestay tourism was initially established by the government. The study also found the main characteristics of the homestay operation are in a small size with a limitation of bedrooms, and a few family members involved in hosting tourists, which are husband, wife, and an adult child. All of these people are unpaid labour but receive benefits from the sharing of food and shelter. The study also uncovered that cash-based income, gender empowerment enhancement, and environmental enhancement were the positive impacts of homestay tourism on the livelihoods of the homestay operators, and these positive livelihood outcomes were in line with the original sustainable livelihood framework. In addition, cultural revitalisation was found as an emerged indicator of the sustainable livelihood outcomes, which was used to extend the revised framework. However, the study discovered that opportunity costs, culture shock, and conflict with villagers were negative implications affecting sustainable livelihood outcomes of the homestay operators. The revised Sustainable Livelihood Framework (SLF) suggests that if these negative implications are mitigated, the overall livelihood outcomes will be even greater. The results of this study are expected to provide a deeper understanding of how the impacts of homestay tourism on the sustainable livelihood of the homestay operators.</p>

scholarly journals Fraud in overseas aid and the challenge of measurement

2015 ◽  
Vol 22 (2) ◽  
pp. 184-198 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mark Button ◽  
Chris Lewis ◽  
David Shepherd ◽  
Graham Brooks
Keyword(s):  
High Risk ◽  
International Development ◽  
Local Context ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Content Type ◽  
The Public ◽  
The Uk ◽  
Practical Implications

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the challenges of measuring fraud in overseas aid. Design/methodology/approach – The research is based on 21 semi-structured interviews with key persons working in the delivery of aid in both the public and voluntary sectors. It uses the UK Department for International Development as a case study to applying more accurate measures of fraud. Findings – This paper shows there are significant challenges to using fraud loss measurement to gauge fraud in overseas aid. However, it argues that, along with other types of measures, it could be used in areas of expenditure in overseas governments and charities to measure aid. Given the high risk of such aid to fraud, it argues helping to develop capacity to reduce aid, of which measuring the size of the problem is an important part; this could be considered as aid in its own right. Research limitations/implications – The researchers were not able to visit high-risk countries for fraud to examine in the local context views on the challenges of measuring fraud. Practical implications – The paper offers insights on the challenges to accurately measuring fraud in an overseas context, which will be useful to policy-makers in this context. Social implications – Given the importance of as much aid as possible reaching recipients, it offers an important contribution to helping to reduce losses in this important area. Originality/value – There has been very little consideration of how to measure fraud in the overseas aid context, with most effort aimed at corruption, which poses some of the same challenges, as well as some very different challenges.

The 2015 Cricket World Cup in Christchurch

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 4-17
Author(s):  
C. Michael Hall ◽  
Alberto Amore
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
City Centre ◽  
Sporting Events ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
World Cup ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Mainstream Media ◽  
Disaster Capitalism ◽  
The City

Purpose This study aims to focus on the development and upgrading of the Hagley Park cricket oval in Christchurch for the 2015 Cricket World Cup and how this hallmark event was used a catalyst to rebrand the city following the 2010 and 2011 earthquakes. Design/methodology/approach This paper is based on the findings from research conducted between 2012 and 2016. Data for the analysis were collected from mainstream media, sport organisations websites and government archives. In addition, a two-round series of semi-structured interviews with relevant stakeholders was undertaken in the aftermath of the Cricket World Cup. Findings In the case of Christchurch, the earthquakes and the destruction of much of the downtown provided a recovery opportunity, with the 2015 Cricket World Cup used to expedite the development of a new sporting venue in the city centre and rebrand the city to international tourists and sport enthusiasts. Research limitations/implications The Hagley Park cricket oval case study provides evidence on the rhetoric of urban competitiveness and the use of hallmark sporting events to reframe urban development in post-disaster contexts. Originality/value This research provides further evidence on the logics of disaster capitalism and how cities embark on costly redevelopment projects for sports and events whilst overlooking exacerbating vulnerabilities among the local community.

scholarly journals Interpretation in historic gardens: English Heritage perspective

2018 ◽  
Vol 73 (2) ◽  
pp. 199-215 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dean Hristov ◽  
Nikola Naumov ◽  
Petia Petrova
Keyword(s):  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Visitor Experience ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Exploratory Investigation ◽  
New Interpretation ◽  
Contemporary Interpretation ◽  
Heritage Interpretation ◽  
English Heritage

PurposeThis paper aims to provide an exploratory investigation into contemporary interpretation methods used in historic gardens and their fundamental role in enhancing the visitor experience and sense of a place.Design/methodology/approachA series of semi-structured interviews (n= 65) with Wrest Park visitors – who had the opportunity to experience new interpretation methods provided on-site – have been carried out in an attempt to explore their sense of place through interpretation.FindingsThe research suggests that interpretation has a fundamental role to play in “telling the story” of historic gardens, with 92.5 per cent of the sample understanding elements of the place’s history, significance and evolution. The findings further suggest the presence of two distinct visitor typologies – history explorers and leisure seekers.Practical implicationsThe study provides implications for theory and practice and recommendations for historic garden practitioners.Originality/valueThe importance of conceptualising and operationalising interpretation in historic gardens has received relatively little attention across the extant body of heritage interpretation literature. English Heritage’s Wrest Park, which is amongst England’s most prominent historic gardens, is used as a case study.

scholarly journals Beyond the Rhetoric of Participation: A Case Study of Participatory Practices and Power in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Cynthia Ecclestone
Keyword(s):  
Decision Making ◽  
Filial Piety ◽  
Skills Training ◽  
Training Programme ◽  
Participatory Development ◽  
Power Dynamics ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Decision Making Processes ◽  
Local Ngo

<p>This study looks critically at the practices of participatory development by a local NGO in East Nusa Tenggara, Indonesia. In doing so, the Life Skills Training programme is chosen as a case study of potentially participatory development. By exploring people’s experiences, perceptions, and feelings about their participation, the study examines the power dynamics in the programme. To gather data, the study used semi-structured interviews and observations. Interviews were conducted with 14 research participants, who were purposively selected from different backgrounds.   The study finds that the approaches of the programme point to lower-level forms of participation, with local people having both minimal involvement and little role in decision-making. Despite the use of the rhetoric of participation, doubts about the quality of participation are raised particularly in relation to gender, age, and religious differences. By scrutinising the ways in which issues of power manifest in the programme, the study demonstrates that issues of power and power relations in participatory development are quite complex. Using the frameworks of power analysis, I argue that issues related to inequalities of power are manifested in the NGO’s domination of decision-making processes, and that these issues were also contributed to by a patriarchal culture and filial piety. More importantly, I argue that people’s participation in the programme is less likely lead to meaningful outcomes if the issues of power imbalances are not addressed.  The study provides useful insights into ways to improve the practices of participatory development. An increased understanding of various forms of power and their implications will be useful for development practitioners to exercise their power to make a difference. Moreover, efforts to reduce power imbalances in participatory development will be inadequate without critically examining and attending to power and its dynamics. Without a deeper understanding of power, development programmes that make claims about participation may be less effective in achieving transformative goals for the intended beneficiaries.</p>

scholarly journals Operation of the Selected Local Action Group

2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 347-352 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lukáš Nevěděl ◽  
Miroslav Horák
Keyword(s):  
Local Community ◽  
Local Development ◽  
Participant Observation ◽  
Local Action ◽  
Detailed Knowledge ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Community Based ◽  
Action Group ◽  
Public Debates ◽  
Current Operation

The main objective of this article is to compare the current operation of elected local action group with the concept of learning regions. This comparison is built on detailed knowledge and understanding of the operation of local action group Podbrnensko citizens’ association (Podbrnensko CA) and learning regions in general. The following is assumed: the understanding of community-based processes from the perspective of residents, the important stakeholders who influence the operation of communities or locations. The operation of local action groups is in line with the current concept led by local community development (community led local development, CLLD), which uses elements of the LEADER method. In this method the solution of development problems comes primarily from the inside, not from the outside of the studied territory. The methods used for the collection of empirical data were mostly observation and interviews with all partners involved in LAG (31 people), all mayors in LAG (29 people) and 176 people from region, i.e. methods, which result in so called deep data. Between the primary techniques applied in the research are: participant observation, unstructured or semi-structured interviews and public debates.

scholarly journals Preparing for Social Action: A Case Study from Zambia on the Relationship Between Religious Knowledge and Development

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Laura Skeaff
Keyword(s):  
Social Action ◽  
Participatory Development ◽  
Theory And Practice ◽  
Development Theory ◽  
Spiritual Values ◽  
Religious Knowledge ◽  
Knowledge Based ◽  
Spiritual Reality

<p>This study is based on two premises: the centrality of knowledge to processes of development and the centrality of spirituality and religion to the lives of the majority of the world’s population. It is through the generation and application of knowledge that communities and societies progress, and for many this change involves “a dynamic coherence between the spiritual and the material” (Tyndale, 2003, p. 23). Religion can be regarded as a system of knowledge, based upon the sacred texts that lie at the heart of the world’s major religions, addressing aspects of spiritual reality. Historically, religious knowledge in development has been marginalised or discredited; secularism has been identified as the normative, rational position. This position has increasingly been challenged over the last decade, which has witnessed a ‘global resurgence in religion’ (Berger, 1999). A growing number of voices are calling for serious engagement with religion in development. This research sets out to explore some of the questions raised in an emerging discourse between religion and development by engaging with religion as a system of knowledge that informs development theory and practice. The work focuses on a Bahá’í-inspired organisation in Zambia as a case study. Inshindo Foundation offers an education for development programme, Preparation for Social Action, that emphasizes harmony between the material and spiritual in processes of development. Over a ten-week period in 2010, I used qualitative methods to investigate the conceptions and experiences of PSA students and tutors in relation to their participation in the programme. The findings highlight the potential role of religious knowledge and spiritual values to inform and motivate individual action for change and sustain commitment and effort to achieve collective goals. This makes an important contribution to understandings of how to promote participatory development. At the level of theory, the findings draw attention to a vision of development based on spiritual values and principles that is fundamentally different from mainstream conceptions.</p>

scholarly journals ECOTURISMO E AÇÕES DE SUSTENTABILIDADE COMO FATORES DE VALORIZAÇÃO DA ATIVIDADE ECOTURÍSTICA EM PRUDENTÓPOLIS, PR

2019 ◽  
Vol 4 (15) ◽  
pp. 106
Author(s):  
Ronaldo Ferreira Maganhotto ◽  
Vanessa Alberton ◽  
Maria Beatriz Petroski Bonetti ◽  
Marciel Lohmann
Keyword(s):  
Data Collection ◽  
Socioeconomic Development ◽  
Local Community ◽  
Structured Interviews ◽  
Sustainable Practices ◽  
The World ◽  
Ecological Tourism ◽  
The City

ECOTOURISM AND SUSTAINABILITY ACTIONS AS VALUING FACTORS OF ECOTOURISM ACTIVITY IN PRUDENTÓPOLIS, PRECOTURISMO Y ACCIONES DE SOSTENIBILIDAD COMO FACTORES DE VALORIZACIÓN DE LA ACTIVIDAD ECOTURÍSTICA EN PRUDENTÓPOLIS, PRRESUMODiante da realidade de que a humanidade cada vez mais se concentra nas grandes cidades, uma das alternativas encontradas é a busca pelo turismo ecológico, que tem crescido de forma significativa no Brasil e no mundo, mas principalmente nos países que apresentam diversidade de belezas naturais e riqueza de fauna e flora. A presente pesquisa, realizada no município de Prudentópolis/PR, apresenta o desenvolvimento dos atrativos ecoturísticos e as ações sustentáveis presentes em cada propriedade. Este estudo de caso foi desenvolvido entre o período de setembro de 2015 a agosto de 2016. A coleta de dados deu-se por meio bibliográfico, documental, observação in loco e entrevista semiestruturada com os proprietários dos empreendimentos. Na coleta de dados foram identificadas várias práticas sustentáveis em cada dimensão da sustentabilidade que permite apontar que essas práticas são propulsoras ao desenvolvimento socioeconômico e valorização do turismo e da comunidade local do Município de Prudentópolis.Palavras-chave: Ecoturismo; Sustentabilidade; Meio Ambiente. ABSTRACT Faced with the reality that humanity is increasingly concentrated in the big cities, one of the alter-natives found is the search for ecological tourism, which has grown significantly in Brazil and in the world, but especially in countries with a diversity of beauties and richness of fauna and flora. The present research, carried out in the city of Prudentópolis/PR, presents the development of the ecotourism attractions and the sustainable actions present in each property. This case study was developed between September 2015 and August 2016, data collection was done through bibliographical, documentary, on-site observation and semi-structured interviews with project owners. In the collection of data, several sustainable practices were identified in each dimension of sustainability, which allows us to point out that these practices are propulsive to the socioeconomic development and valorization of tourism and the local community of the Municipality of Prudentópolis..Keywords: Ecotourism; Sustainability; Environment.RESUMENAnte la realidad de que la humanidad cada vez más se concentra en las grandes ciudades, una de las alternativas encontradas es la búsqueda por el turismo ecológico, que ha crecido de forma significativa en Brasil y en el mundo, pero principalmente en los países que presentan diversidad de bellezas naturales y riqueza de fauna y flora. La presente investigación, realizada en el municipio de Prudentópolis/PR, presenta el desarrollo de los atractivos ecoturísticos y las acciones sostenibles presentes en cada propiedad. Este estudio de caso fue desarrollado entre el período de septiembre de 2015 hasta agosto del 2016. La recabación de datos se dio a través de la recopilación bibliográfica, documental, observación in situ y entrevistas semiestructuradas con los propietarios de los emprendimientos. Durante el trabajo de campo se identificaron varias prácticas sostenibles en cada dimensión de la sostenibilidad que permite apuntar que esas prácticas son propulsoras al desarrollo socioeconómico y valorización del turismo y de la comunidad local del municipio de Prudentópolis.Palabras clave: Ecoturismo; Sostenibilidad; Medio Ambiente.

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