Reflections on innovation,assessment, and social change: a SPARC case study

This article challenges the terms on which donor agencies evaluate development success, drawing on a particular case to make its point. It describes the resettlement of 60,000 people squatting along the railway tracks in Mumbai, a process planned and carried out by a federation of the railway dwellers themselves, with support from the NGO SPARC (the Society for the Promotion of Area Resource Centres). The article argues that this effort, which met donor criteria for a successful project, was the tip of an iceberg. Without an appreciation of the years of learning and innovation that preceded it, and the underpinning of principles and relationships built up over many years, this achievement cannot be adequately assessed or understood – and certainly not replicated. Yet in the world of formal assessment and evaluation, there tends to be a lack of interest in the deeper learning about social change that makes such success stories possible.     

Complexities in natural-resource management: irrigation infrastructure in Bihar

All over Gaya District in Bihar, irrespective of a person's caste or economic status, irrigation is the overriding topic of concern on public platforms and in private conversations. In the absence of adequate government action, different kinds of community endeavour are emerging to answer the need, some supported by radical political movements, others by organisations of a religious persuasion, and still others primarily by prominent local citizens.     

Solidarity economy and recycling co-ops in São Paulo: micro-credit to alleviate poverty

Lack of working capital hinders collective commercialisation of recyclables. Social exclusion and bureaucratic constraints prevent recyclers from obtaining official bank loans. As they continue to depend on intermediaries, the cycle of poverty, dependency, and exclusion is perpetuated. The article discusses collective commercialisation and the micro-credit fund created among 30 recycling groups in the Brazilian city of São Paulo. A committee of eight women recyclers manages this fund. The article contextualises reflections on empowerment and community-based development, applying the theoretical framework of social and solidarity economy. The author finally suggests that inclusive governance structures have the potential to generate greater justice and sustainability.     

The role of self-help groups in empowering disabled women: a case study in Kathmandu Valley,Nepal

The literature on self-help groups (SHGs) shows a mixed record on empowering women both economically and socially, while the literature on Women with Disabilities (WWDs) highlights the problems of isolation that exacerbate their disadvantages. This article, asking whether SHGs can empower WWDs, is based on a study conducted in Kathmandu Valley, Nepal. It concludes that being an SHG member is useful for gaining employment that leads to better recognition in the family and society. However, employment opportunities and organisational experiences mean that the benefits are not equally shared among all members.     

女性制度主义的发生路径、焦点议题与意义评析

女性制度主义作为女性主义政治学与新制度主义政治学相互融合的产物,在跻身新制度主义前沿领域的同时,还为制度分析增添了性别维度。发端于女性主义第二波浪潮与社会性别理论的女性制度主义研究动向,在新制度主义异军突起的理论背景和性别平等举措全面开展的现实背景下确立为重要的分析途径,日益得到众多具有制度分析取向的女性主义学者的积极推动,并在多领域与多学科的交织脉络中不断发展演进。女性制度主义将浸染社会性别特征的政治制度作为研究起点,致力于协调现实政治生活的结构性要素与能动性要素,通过阐释性别体制、制度变迁以及制度性抵制的复杂关系,对性别化的权力体系及其动力机制予以深入探讨。基于女性制度主义所涉及的学术身份认同、学理资源汲取、学派交流融汇、学科议题嬗变,可以对该分析途径的贡献、不足以及前景进行系统审视。     

Modern Families,Modern Family Justice: Supporting Family Relationships in Fast‐Changing Socio‐Political‐Economic Climates (Summary of the Report of the Consultation at St George's House,Windsor, February 12–13, 2018)

This summary relates to the consultation held at St George's House, in Windsor, England, on February 2018. The attendees came from across Europe and from the United States, and they discussed a range of initiatives designed to address the challenges in modern family justice and the changes in the social, political, and economic environments that are impacting family life across the globe. Although the challenges are very similar, the approach to resolving them varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The attendees concluded that there is much we can learn from each other, and that greater cooperation between family justice professionals across geographic boundaries would be highly beneficial.     

Guiding Principles for Family Justice Programs

The Association of Family and Conciliation Courts and Relate, UK, co‐convened a 24‐hour consultation at St George's House, Windsor, UK, on modern family justice issues across Europe. This article identifies a preliminary set of guiding principles for family justice programs developed by consultation participants.     

传统性别文化视角下的女性教育问题:水族个案

本文以水族为个案,结合女性的教育问题,探求少数民族性别文化对生活于其中的妇女的影响。水族传统性别文化以婚姻制度和财产继承制度为依托,在相应的劳作分工中,对女性角色进行了规范和定义,女性在家庭内部处于弱势地位。传统性别文化的性别角色定义影响了家庭对女性教育价值的判断以及女性对自身教育价值的认识,进而在一定程度上促使了教育不平等问题在女性群体间的代际流动,影响了现代水族女性教育机会的获得。     

Attitude counts: engaging with rice farmers in West Africa

An international project called PADS promoted participatory learning and action research with inland valley rainfed rice farmers in West Africa. All countries received the same training, similar funding, and the same leadership. Although the staff in Ghana were conscientious and gave much training to the farmer beneficiaries, the Mali staff explicitly encouraged farmers to experiment. Farmers in Mali responded to this favourable attitude by experimenting more than those in Ghana, and in qualitatively more interesting ways. Long-term engagement with grassroots organisations may be as conducive to changing public servants' attitudes as the actual participatory approach promoted on the ground.

L'attitude compte: travail avec des riziculteurs en Afrique de l'Ouest

Un projet international appelé PADS a favorisé l'apprentissage participatif et la recherche-action avec des riziculteurs pratiquant la culture pluviale dans les vallées de l'intérieur des terres en Afrique de l'Ouest. Tous les pays ont reçu la même formation, un financement similaire et le même leadership. Alors que les membres du personnel du Ghana étaient consciencieux et dispensaient une formation considérable aux agriculteurs bénéficiaires, le personnel du Mali encourageait expressément les riziculteurs à faire des expériences. Les riziculteurs du mali ont réagi à cette attitude favorable en faisant plus d'expériences que ceux du Ghana, et ce de manières plus intéressantes sur le plan qualitatif. L'engagement à long terme avec les organisations de la base populaire peut être tout aussi propice à la modification des attitudes des fonctionnaires que l'approche participative même promue sur le terrain.

As atitudes contam: Engajamento com produtores de arroz na África Ocidental

Um projeto internacional chamado PADS promoveu uma pesquisa sobre aprendizado e ação participativa com produtores de arroz irrigado com água da chuva no interior do vale na África Ocidental. Todos os países receberam o mesmo treinamento, financiamento semelhante e a mesma liderança. Embora os funcionários de Gana estivessem cientes e oferecessem bastante treinamento aos produtores beneficiários, os funcionários de Mali incentivaram explicitamente os produtores a experimentar. Os produtores de Mali responderam a esta atitude favorável experimentando mais do que aqueles de Gana e de maneiras mais interessantes em termos qualitativos. O engajamento de longo prazo com organizações de base pode contribuir para mudar as atitudes dos servidores públicos tanto quanto a abordagem participativa real promovida na base.

La actitud cuenta: el trato personal con campesinos arroceros de África Occidental

Un proyecto internacional llamado PADS promovió el aprendizaje participativo y la investigación-acción entre campesinos que cultivaban arroz de secano en los valles centrales de África Occidental. Todos los países participantes recibieron la misma capacitación, un financiamiento similar y las mismas orientaciones. Si bien el personal de Ghana era muy diligente y transmitió muchos conocimientos a los campesinos beneficiarios en capacitaciones, el personal de Malí se centró más explícitamente en animarlos para que experimentaran. Los campesinos de Malí respondieron a esta actitud estimuladora realizando más experimentos y de maneras cualitativamente más interesantes que los campesinos de Ghana. El compromiso de largo plazo con organizaciones de base puede ser tan importante para lograr un cambio en la actitud del servidor público como el método participativo que se promueve en la actualidad sobre el terreno.     

Can microcredit worsen poverty? Cases of exacerbated poverty in Bangladesh

Worldwide, microcredit has been recognised as a successful innovation in poverty alleviation. However, some claim that microcredit exacerbates poverty in developing countries. This study examines cases in Bangladesh where microcredit has actually worsened poverty among borrowers and investigates the underlying reasons for this adverse trend. Our results show that microcredit can exacerbate poverty in four interrelated circumstances. We argue that households living in extreme conditions of poverty who possess minimal or no surplus financial capacity to cope with contingencies are prone to adverse effects of microcredit, and suggest ways to avoid microcredit borrowers falling victims to such unintended consequences.

Le microcrédit peut-il aggraver la pauvreté ? Quelques cas de pauvreté exacerbée au Bangladesh

De par le monde, le microcrédit a été reconnu comme une innovation efficace en vue de réduire la pauvreté. Cependant, certains affirment que le microcrédit exacerbe la pauvreté dans les pays en développement. Cette étude traite de cas observés au Bangladesh où le microcrédit a de fait aggravé la pauvreté parmi les emprunteurs et se penche sur les raisons sous-jacentes de cette tendance négative. Nos résultats montrent que le microcrédit peut exacerber la pauvreté dans quatre situations interconnectées. Nous soutenons que les ménages qui vivent dans des conditions extrêmes de pauvreté et qui possèdent une capacité financière minime ou inexistante pour faire face aux imprévus sont sujets aux effets négatifs du microcrédit et nous suggérons des manières d'éviter que les récipiendaires de microcrédit deviennent les victimes de conséquences non voulues de ce type.

O microcrédito pode agravar a pobreza? Casos de pobreza exacerbada em Bangladesh

No mundo todo, o microcrédito tem sido reconhecido como uma inovação bem-sucedida na redução da pobreza. Porém, alguns afirmam que o microcrédito agrava a pobreza em países em desenvolvimento. Este estudo examina casos em Bangladesh em que o microcrédito na verdade tem agravado a pobreza entre tomadores de empréstimo e investiga as razões subjacentes para esta tendência adversa. Nossos resultados mostram que o microcrédito pode agravar a pobreza em quatro circunstâncias inter-relacionadas. Argumentamos que as famílias que vivem em condições extremas de pobreza e que possuem mínima ou nenhuma capacidade financeira excedente para lidar com contingências são suscetíveis aos efeitos adversos do microcrédito e sugerimos maneiras de se evitar que os tomadores de microcrédito tornem-se vítimas de tais consequências não pretendidas.

¿Pueden los microcréditos incrementar la pobreza? Casos donde aumentó la pobreza en Bangladesh

Los microcréditos han sido ampliamente reconocidos como una iniciativa eficaz para disminuir la pobreza. Sin embargo, hay quienes afirman que los microcréditos incrementan la pobreza que ya existe en los países en desarrollo. Este ensayo analiza diversos casos en Bangladesh, donde se ha comprobado que los microcréditos agudizaron la pobreza de los prestatarios, e investiga las principales causas de esta tendencia negativa. Los autores señalan que los microcréditos pueden incrementar la pobreza en cuatro circunstancias que se relacionan entre sí. Sostienen también que las familias que viven en condiciones de pobreza extrema y cuentan con una mínima reserva financiera para imprevistos, o con ninguna, tienden a sufrir los efectos adversos de los microcréditos. El ensayo sugiere maneras de evitar que los prestatarios se expongan a estas consecuencias no previstas de los microcréditos.