‘Communities of practice’: prospects for theory and action in participatory development

Abstract

‘The myth of community’ permeates both the understanding and the practice of participatory development. Yet the idea that communities exist as coherent units of people who inhabit bounded geographic spaces and are ready to be mobilised for development restricts the very agency that participation promises. This article offers an alternative model of community: one that is more compatible with the ideal of people-centred, participatory development. Using Etienne Wenger's concept of ‘communities of practice’, and drawing on narrative theory and cognitive approaches to policy analysis, the article argues that community should be created and sustained around shared meanings.

« Communautés de pratique »: perspectives pour la théorie et l'action dans le développement participatif

« Le mythe de la communauté » est omniprésent tant dans la compréhension que dans la pratique du développement participatif. Or, l'idée selon laquelle les communautés existent comme des unités cohérentes de personnes qui habitent des espaces géographiques délimités et sont prêtes à être mobilisées pour le développement restreint la capacité d'influence même que promet la participation. Cet article propose un modèle alternatif de la communauté qui est plus compatible avec l'idéal du développement participatif centré sur les personnes. En utilisant le concept d'Etienne Wenger des « communautés de pratique » et en s'inspirant de la théorie narrative et des approches cognitives de l'analyse des politiques générales, l'auteur de cet article soutient que la communauté devrait être créée et soutenue autour de significations partagées.

‘Comunidades de prática’: prospectos para teoria e ação no desenvolvimento participativo

‘O mito da comunidade’ está impregnado na compreensão e prática do desenvolvimento participativo. Porém, a ideia de que as comunidades existem como unidades coerentes de pessoas que habitam espaços geográficos delimitados e que estão prontas para ser mobilizadas para o desenvolvimento restringe a própria ação que a participação promete. Este artigo oferece um modelo alternativo de comunidade que é mais compatível com o ideal de desenvolvimento centrado nas pessoas e participativo. Utilizando o conceito de Etienne Wenger de ‘comunidades de prática’ e recorrendo às abordagens de teoria narrativa e cognitivas para análise de políticas, o artigo argumenta que a comunidade deve ser criada e mantida ao redor de significados compartilhados.

‘Comunidades de ensayo’: perspectivas para la teoría y la acción en el desarrollo participativo

El mito de ‘la comunidad’ atraviesa la teoría y la práctica del desarrollo participativo. Sin embargo, la opinión de que las comunidades son conjuntos inalterables de personas que habitan espacios geográficos específicos y están preparadas para ser movilizadas en pro de su desarrollo, reduce la autonomía que se supone surge de la participación. Este ensayo analiza un modelo de comunidad alternativo, más afín al ideal de desarrollo participativo centrado en las personas. Aprovechando el concepto utilizado por Etienne Wenger ‘comunidades de ensayo’, y basándose en teorías y enfoques cognitivos del análisis político, este ensayo sostiene que la comunidad debe fundarse y sostenerse en torno a conceptos compartidos.

Keywords:

• Aid
• Civil society
• Methods
• Sub-Saharan Africa

Acknowledgement

I would like to thank Andrea Cornwall and Dzodzi Tsikata for their comments and encouragement.

Notes

The names of the income-generating group, its members, and the village in which the project is situated have been changed to maintain confidentiality.

Quotations in parentheses have been translated into English from Akan.

‘Self-help’ is used here in the sense of community action, as opposed to initiatives from external institutions such as the state.

Awerϵkyekyerϵ is an Akan word, meaning solace or comfort.

Susu clubs are similar to a group such as Awerϵkyekyerϵ in being locally initiated organisations, although welfare assistance is optional in susu clubs.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Nana Akua Anyidoho

Nana Akua Anyidoho is a Research Fellow at the Institute for Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER) in the University of Ghana. Her research focus is on the ways in which people interact with social policy. <[email protected]>