Damned Development: The Perception and Practice of Participatory Development in a SRI Lankan Village

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Abstract 0001667This project will investigate the factors behind the failure of participatory development programs in Suduwarura Ara Gama, a small, impoverished village in southeastern Sri Lanka. Previous research suggests that villagers, although originally enthusiastic, have become increasingly critical of development efforts (in agriculture, irrigation, handloom factories, schools). At the same time, they are unable to articulate their own development goals. The researcher hypothesizes that specific development agendas are formulated by villagers in their interaction with local, state, and international development agencies, and that this process may result in limited consideration of development alternatives. In this village restudy, the research will focus on the nature of this interaction. Methods include structured interviews, collection of oral histories of development and village improvement, focus groups and formal opinion surveys. This project will contribute to our understanding of how rural populations in the developing world shape their own development agendas and perceptions, a critical factor in the ultimate success or failure of participatory development initiatives.