Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal

The spread of participatory development worldwide has multiplied opportunities for local population to engage in paid and unpaid development activities. However, scholars have pointed out that participatory approaches bear the risk of strengthening unequal social structures, despite their emphasis o...

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Main Author: O. Cima
Format: Article
Language:deu
Published: Copernicus Publications 2015-12-01
Series:Geographica Helvetica
Online Access:http://www.geogr-helv.net/70/353/2015/gh-70-353-2015.pdf
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spelling doaj-f0f1facbf59e432695b9aa9e0c18ba192020-11-24T21:58:53ZdeuCopernicus PublicationsGeographica Helvetica0016-73122194-87982015-12-0170435336110.5194/gh-70-353-2015Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural NepalO. Cima0Department of Geosciences, University of Fribourg, Fribourg, SwitzerlandThe spread of participatory development worldwide has multiplied opportunities for local population to engage in paid and unpaid development activities. However, scholars have pointed out that participatory approaches bear the risk of strengthening unequal social structures, despite their emphasis on democratisation and inclusion. This paper investigates the case of a Swiss-funded infrastructural project in rural Nepal, analysing the role of participatory spaces in the dynamics of development resource capture. The empirical material collected suggests that, although participatory development has created more opportunities for social mobility, these opportunities are not necessarily open to everyone. In the case studied, the transformational potential of participation is only partially fulfilled.http://www.geogr-helv.net/70/353/2015/gh-70-353-2015.pdf
collection DOAJ
language deu
format Article
sources DOAJ
author O. Cima
spellingShingle O. Cima
Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal
Geographica Helvetica
author_facet O. Cima
author_sort O. Cima
title Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal
title_short Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal
title_full Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal
title_fullStr Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal
title_full_unstemmed Expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural Nepal
title_sort expanding spaces of participation: insights from an infrastructural project in rural nepal
publisher Copernicus Publications
series Geographica Helvetica
issn 0016-7312
2194-8798
publishDate 2015-12-01
description The spread of participatory development worldwide has multiplied opportunities for local population to engage in paid and unpaid development activities. However, scholars have pointed out that participatory approaches bear the risk of strengthening unequal social structures, despite their emphasis on democratisation and inclusion. This paper investigates the case of a Swiss-funded infrastructural project in rural Nepal, analysing the role of participatory spaces in the dynamics of development resource capture. The empirical material collected suggests that, although participatory development has created more opportunities for social mobility, these opportunities are not necessarily open to everyone. In the case studied, the transformational potential of participation is only partially fulfilled.
url http://www.geogr-helv.net/70/353/2015/gh-70-353-2015.pdf
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