A discussion of whose knowledge is the most important and useful in participatory development.

The status of knowledge

Do you take your access to water for granted? The Peruvian and Tanzanian communities featured in this album certainly don’t. This album examines how development agencies can empower communities to help themselves by introducing simple technologies, and facilitate the sharing of ideas through education. In the Andean mountains, scarce supplies of water and agricultural challenges give rise to conflict; but the changes engineered by development agencies can start to show a way out of poverty. Meanwhile, Tanzanian rural schoolchildren are instrumental in bringing about positive long-term change within their communities.  However, development in practice is very complex and sometimes controversial. The audio tracks delve into the dilemma of how to deal with the different values systems of impoverished communities and the development agencies. They also show how development is  linked to issues of identity, urbanisation, politics, economics, social relations and gender.In the bonus material Dr Helen Yanacopulos, Senior Lecturer in International Politics and Development at The Open University, provides insight into the educational value of the audio-visual material and explains the course structure.
 This material is taken from The Open University Course U213 International development: challenges for a world in transition.