Suchergebnisse

Over the last three decades participatory research processes have informed much international development and conservation work in developing countries. Public participation is also a growing legislative requirement in natural resource and environmental management in developed countries. So far, multiple participatory approaches have been formulated and applied in different contexts, including so-called participatory modelling methods. The latter have developed alongside a growing unease and fundamental critique of the participatory approaches and their theoretical underpinnings. One of the central themes running through the critique is the naïveté with which complexities of power relations are assumed to be understood and addressed in participatory approaches. The critique also highlights the danger that participatory approaches become legitimising instruments that simply maintain and reinforce existing power relations. In this paper we engage with the critical literature in the hope of drawing lessons and requirements for participatory modelling. We also empirically evaluate participatory modelling case studies with regard to the fundamental critique. While we do not agree with some demands from the critique that imply abandoning the whole participatory enterprise, we suggest that claims to participatory modelling be taken seriously and that each claim be accompanied by critical reflection. Based on a review of the literature we suggest initial set of questions towards developing a framework for critical reflection.

The idea of using tourism as a tool for development has been established as a major priority by multilateral institutions, donors, governments, non-Governmental Organizations (NGO), national and international tourism bodies. Nevertheless, only few studies have analysed the factors that have had major impacts in such initiatives in developing countries. In order to overcome this gap, the main aim of this paper is to provide a comprehensive reflection about the critical factors that determine the success of the tourism development strategies adopted by developing countries. To accomplish this aim a literature review was conducted. The theoretical discussion suggests that there is a set of factors that should be evaluated when tourism is used as a tool for development. Despite the context in which this process takes place, the main focus of a tourism development strategy should necessarily approach a capacity-building reinforcement of the communities it strives to help. It will be postulated that these factors are essential to guarantee that the targeted communities are in full control and are the main beneficiaries of the whole development process. ; A ideia de usar o turismo como estrategia de desenvolvimento tem constituido uma prioridade por parte de diversas organizacoes multilaterais, doadores, governos, Organizacoes nao Governamentais (ONG) e diversas organizações de turismo nacionais e internacionais. No entanto, poucos estudos se tem debrucado na analise dos fatores que maior impacte exercem sobre as iniciativas adotadas nos paises em desenvolvimento. No sentido de colmatar esta lacuna, o principal objetivo deste artigo e propor uma reflexao abrangente sobre um conjunto de fatores criticos que podem determinar o sucesso das estrategias de desenvolvimento adotadas nos paises em desenvolvimento. Para atingir este objetivo, a metodologia adotada neste estudo assentou numa extensa revisao da literatura. A discussao teorica efetuada sugere que existe de facto um conjunto de fatores que deveriam ser considerados e relevados em qualquer iniciativa que tenha como objetivo utilizar o turismo como instrumento de desenvolvimento. Independentemente do contexto e da natureza destas estrategias de desenvolvimento turistico, estas devem trabalhar mais ou menos aqueles fatores de forma a garantirem como prioridade de intervencao o reforco da capacidade das comunidades que se pretende beneficiar através do desenvolvimento turistico para conduzirem elas proprias esse processo de desenvolvimento, garantindo a obtencao e distribuicao justa dos beneficios liquidos gerados para as comunidades de destino.

Information systems (IS) planning is a developing field, and currently organizations plan and implement systems that enable them to transcend traditional boundaries. However, the issue of how individuals and groups can influence the process and outcomes of organizational IS planning with their own concerns still needs further attention. This paper presents an approach to IS planning that facilitates inclusion and participation of people. The focus of planning remains the organization, but critical thinking is developed through reflection on wider (e.g. individual and societal) concerns. Using Critical Systems Thinking (CST) and the theories of boundary critique and autopoiesis, the approach in this paper emphasizes continuous inclusion of, and reflection on, different issues of concern, values and interests that groups of stakeholders have about their situation prior to the selection, design and implementation of planning methods. Reflections from practice can lead practitioners to consider the importance of ethics in information systems planning.

We report on a study of how instructors in an online management classroom aim to develop critical reflection through asynchronous discussions. There is an ongoing debate centered on improving asynchronous discussions in online management education but insights into how these discussions could be facilitated to promote critical reflection remains largely under-developed. We address this issue by considering the extent to which management instructors' perception of their role and understanding of being critical impact their facilitation of asynchronous classroom discussions and the challenges associated with this facilitation. Results from 18 semi-structured interviews with instructors teaching in an online MBA program at a UK higher education institution show the potential of asynchronous discussions to promote critical reflection. However, we found that instructors often fail to capitalize on opportunities for critical reflection that arise from classroom diversity and dynamics. Despite the emancipatory intent that underlies program design, interview data reveals three specific areas of interest: the diversity of instructors' interpretations of what constitutes being critical in asynchronous discussions, a range of individualized facilitation strategies and the impact of imposed design constraints. We offer suggestions as to how to improve the facilitation of critical reflection through asynchronous discussions as well as directions for future research.

This article explores reflexivity and critical reflection as they were applied during an exploratory study of the psychiatric and mental health service experiences of lesbian and queer women. Reflexivity and critical reflection are centered as critical research practices toward recognizing and responding to micropractices of power and power relations in the interviewing relationship, structural forms of power and its impact on the recruitment of participants and therefore the inclusion and exclusion of particular participants in the research process, and the limitations of the social process of knowledge production vis-a-vis research methods and interviews.

Critical education has a very strategic role in supporting and accelerating the formation of a civilized democratic society. Its existence is able to change the world, create the culture, carve out the history, engineer the world to be more fair and humane, even to change concepts, ideas, systematics, and strength. Implementation of critical education is based on three dimensions: the pedagogic practical, normative, and cultural ideology dimensions. Critical education process is formulated as a process of cultural dimension. The main function and target of critical education is "self-awareness", or "critical awareness". The concoction of Indonesian nationalism as a reflection of critical education has been clearly being pioneered since revolution era by R.A. Kartini, Budi Utomo, and K. H. Dewantara in the form of the establishment of some schools and the freedom of indigenous children to get the education. More qualified human resources can be cultivated through a critical education.

Drawing upon the experience of the Social Welfare Research Unit in undertaking evaluations with public-sector organizations and projects, this paper contributes to the development of a critical methodology for evaluation. The Unit undertakes research and evaluation to promote social welfare. Researching for change for the better involves us in critical social research methodologies, engaging in research and evaluation to contribute to changing policies and practices. The research program of the Unit is eclectic in its methods, analysing data both quantitatively and qualitatively, drawing upon feminist methodologies and upon the contribution to research methodology made by new social movements such as disability research (e.g. Oliver, I992). This paper is concerned with evaluation methodology. Its purpose is to explore ways in which evaluation may be developed as critical, informed by critical social research methodologies and by postmodernist approaches to discourse and values.