Participatory Concept Research Articles

Milton's Case for a Free Commonwealth

This article will examine the development of John Milton's arguments for democracy as against monarchy and other sorts of autocratic rule. These arguments are interesting both in their own right and insofar as they shed light on historiographical debates concerning the classical republican tradition. Milton is shown to hold a negative conception of liberty, as opposed to a positive or participatory conception, which lends support to the neo‐roman interpretation of that tradition, associated with Quentin Skinner and Philip Pettit. However, it is further shown that Sinner and Pettit misunderstand the classical republicans' case for democracy, attributing to them a conceptual argument in place of an empirical one. A better understanding of Milton's political theory contributes to a better understanding of this dilemma, and perhaps suggests a solution.

A peaceful coexistence of epistemologies – philosophy from the constructivist's point of view

PurposeTo explore possible innovations that constructivism and its epistemological participatory position offer to philosophy, in particular to the age‐old problem of grounding epistemological assumptions.Design/methodology/approachThe paper follows von Foerster's account of the participatory position as an epistemological stance. It tries to explain why it is called a “position” rather than “insight” or “theory”. Constructivist (participatory) concepts are explored and related to “classical” philosophical debates such as the “Münchhausen trilemma”. In the conclusion the paper sketches possible ways of how to apply the answers of the participatory position to the philosophical discourse.FindingsThe paper points at the possibility to go beyond the insurmountable boundaries dividing different epistemological positions one continuously encounters when searching for the appropriate epistemological starting point. As a result, one cannot expect answers to be universally valid. The paper takes that into consideration. It argues that most philosophical attempts are first order changes (revolutions) as they seek truth and exclude alternative views at the same time. Following von Foerster, the paper suggests second order changes that lead from truth to trust. This transition allows a peaceful coexistence of all philosophical systems. Turning from truth (and belief in analytical clarity) to trust and, consequently, from objectivity to responsibility, it may become possible to transcend the epistemological barriers.Originality/valueThe paper contributes to finding a possible direction for the future of discourses in philosophy and many humanities in order to overcome the incompetence of philosophy of finding final answers.

"Like Everybody Else": Equalizing Educational Opportunity for English Language Learners

Equal educational opportunity for all students has long been a goal of public education in the United States. Realizing equality of educational opportunity for English language learners (ELLs), however, has proven to be a difficult task. This article examines 1 high school community's perception of educational opportunity and its approach to equalizing it. The findings reveal a community-wide endorsement of a policy of equal treatment for equalizing educational opportunity. This policy of difference blindness, however, was found to produce inequities for ELLs in at least 2 ways: restricted access to course content and inaccurate assessment and grading. Although teacher participants recognized inequities, they considered them temporary and tolerable. As educational opportunity was accessible only through English, equal treatment, which was perceived to speed English acquisition, was viewed to be the most effective approach for equalizing opportunity. Equality of educational opportunity at the school site, therefore, required ELLs to be normalized through linguistic assimilation, and an ideology of difference blindness through difference erasure was evident. Implications include the need for educational institutions to rethink approaches to equalizing opportunity and a call for reenvisioning educational opportunity as a participatory concept.

Preference Aggregation, Functional Pathologies, and Democracy: A Social Choice Defense of Participatory Democracy

Riker (1982) and others maintain that general impossibility of aggregating individual preferences into consistent collective choices implies that liberalism is the only kind of democracy actually attainable. We argue that implications of impossibility theorems are consistent with, and implied by, logic of participatory conception of democracy. In this view, democratic method is justified not because it necessarily produces decisions that are adequate representations of public preferences, but because participation implicit in method contributes to development of human capabilities. Given that impossibility results derived from theory of voting thus suggest more, rather than less, democracy, they may be viewed as functional rather than pathological.

Livelihood Strategies and Local Perceptions of a New Nature Conservation Project in Nepal

The recently established Kanchenjunga Conservation Area Project (KCAP)—jointly managed by the Department of National Parks and Wildlife Conservation (DNPWC) and World Wildlife Fund (WWF)—is based on the principles of the new participatory concept of nature conservation. The main objectives are to protect the unique environment of the Kanchenjunga region and to help local communities improve their standard of living. This study focuses on existing livelihood strategies and local institutions as well as on the local population's perception of the participatory approach. A theoretical consideration of the different concepts of nature and conservation is regarded as helpful in understanding locally observed processes. The results show wide diversification in the economic system that contributes to sustaining livelihood. Various local institutions have established governance over particular resources. With regard to the KCAP, it became obvious that nearly all interviewees had expectations that went far beyond the intended and economically feasible potential of the project. This is largely because they do not entirely comprehend the principal aim of “conservation.” On the other hand, most of the local people believe that conservation of nature is necessary in their region and that it is only possible through a joint effort made by everyone in the community.

Conceptualizing the successful product development project as a basis for evaluating management training in technology-based companies: a participatory concept mapping application

This study provides a basis for the development of outcome indicators for management training programs suited to technology–intensive companies. We argue that training outcomes should be conceptualized in terms of dimensions associated with the success of product development projects (PDPs), a perspective that departs from conventional trainee satisfaction and cognitive growth indicators and, at the organizational level, economic performance and productivity metrics. A participatory team consisting of academics and human resource development personnel applied concept mapping procedures to develop such a conceptual basis. Ten expert managers in technology-intensive firms were interviewed and later called upon to sort for similarity and rate for importance 47 factors in terms of their importance to the success of PDPs. Software that integrates multidimensional scaling and cluster analysis routines was used to produce a concept map of successful PDPs. This conceptual framework is discussed in terms of its utility as a basis for developing outcome indicators and as a guide for the evaluation of management training in technology-intensive companies. The benefits to firms invoking a participatory concept mapping process are also discussed.

Participatory Evaluation of Development Assistance

This article addresses two issues: the theoretical strengthening of the participatory evaluation concept, and the strengths and weaknesses in practice of this approach. It demonstrates how participatory evaluation can be strengthened conceptually and theoretically if based on fourth-generation evaluation and Giddens's structuration theory. Through an analysis of two evaluations in Zambia and Swaziland, strengths and weaknesses of applying the approach in practice are illustrated. The analysis includes elements from Foucault's theory on power, and from theories about decision-making and learning from political and organizational science. It concludes that, using a participatory evaluation approach, interaction and thus learning processes among stakeholders are initiated and facilitated, and that this benefits the ongoing project-implementation process. The characteristic asymmetrical relationship of power between donor and recipient is potentially ameliorated, allowing the less powerful a greater influence on the evaluation and the ensuing implementation process.

Participatory principles in human inquiry: ethics and methods in a study of the paradigm shift experience

In this paper, underlying principles for guiding participation in human science research are outlined. These research principles were originally utilized as a guiding framework for the author's phenomenological study of the change to a new world‐view identified as the paradigm shift (Dudley, 1987). Using this study as an example, the paper focuses on the integration of participatory concepts in research. The concept of participation as ethics discussed in this paper includes the following dimensions: integrity congruence among problem, paradigm, and method; process‐orientation a commitment to research as a shared journey of discovery; empathetic relationships an ethic of mutuality; and empowerment in community a view of knowledge as communal achievement. Finally, a participatory ethic is discussed in terms of its congruence with values that are at the heart of the new social science paradigm.

Development support communication and popular participation in development projects

Development scholars and policymakers agree that popular participation is necessary for successful rural development. However, more than 15 years of trying to implement the participatory concept shows that small farmers have yet to become involved in development decision making. This paper argues that achieving popular participation requires, in addition to the favorable climate that exists, the presence of professional communicators to facilitate interaction between benefactors and beneficiaries. It is suggested that involving development support communication experts in project planning and implementation could help facilitate popular participation.

Community struggles and the shaping of democratic consciousness

Grass-roots protest activities against economic growth have often been viewed as particularistic, random, self-interested actions that have little significant impact on the larger political economy or movements for social change. This article, however, provides an alternative framework for understanding these community conflicts by examining the structural contradictions of political life that frame such conflicts and by showing, through a case study of a toxic waste protest, the ways in which these structural contradictions are subjectively experienced in the process of political protest. This integrated analysis thus shows how ordinary citizens may develop a more active, participatory concept of democracy.

Depredation and deteriorating condition of <i>Shorea robusta</i> and <i>Terminalia alata</i> in Bardia National Park: an imperative to address park biodiversity sustainably

The paradigm shift in park management from a fortress mentality to the participatory concept is represented as a major transformation in the conservation discourse in Nepal. The involvement of local people in the management of resources in national parks has been significantly effective in attaining the conservation goals of conserving wildlife without compromising the basic forest resource needs of the local people. Nevertheless, some economically important species have not been afforded due consideration during such management. This study investigates the species composition and regeneration status of Shorea robusta (Sal) and Terminalia alata (Saj) in 4 Buffer Zone community Forests of Bardia National Park in Thakurdwara VDC in 1999/2000, 2002/2003 and 2005. The results reveal that Shorea robusta (Sal) and Terminalia alata (Saj) both constituted a large proportion of species diversity but that their regeneration from seedlings to established stages were low, suggesting vulnerability of this forest and their sustainability at risk due to their dwindling conditions. Immediate management concern of these economically important forest tree species is warranted. Keywords: Biodiversity, national park, shorea robusta, sustainability, terminalia alata doi: 10.3126/banko.v19i1.2181Banko Janakari, Vol. 19, No. 1, 37-40

A educação frente às tendências liberal e comunitarista da democracia

O objetivo deste texto é contrapor modelos de democracia para investigar a gestão da educação, discutindo o potencial heurístico desses modelos na compreensão dos desafios da administração democrática do ensino e da forma como as políticas educacionais são concebidas e implementadas na escola pública. São abordadas a concepção contratualista ou liberal da democracia e a sua concepção comunitarista ou participativa. Mostra-se que essas concepções, por mais que se contraponham, se entrecruzam e precisam uma da outra para se autodefinirem, fazendo parte de uma mesma família ético-política. A despeito de sua crítica ao individualismo e à lógica do contrato social como base para a democracia, a concepção comunitarista não é incompatível com as exigências capitalistas, permitindo a esse sistema se rearticular politicamente a partir de novas bases éticas.