Creative Capacity Development: Learning to Adapt in Development Practice - Softcover

Pearson, Jenny

Softcover

ISBN 10: 156549329X ISBN 13: 9781565493292

Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2011

Synopsis

The development community seems constantly and restlessly in search of a singular approach that will solve poverty, unveiling new buzzwords every few years only to toss them aside. Author Jenny Pearson argues that the fundamental flaw with this system is that each new approach fails to break out of the underlying technocratic and specialized paradigm in development work. As Director of Cambodia s leading capacity-building NGO, VBNK, Pearson explains how creative risks and an innovative spirit can revive development work, especially in post-conflict settings. "Creative Capacity Development" provides an unflinching appraisal of the author s own assumptions and setbacks as she established VBNK and explains how a dynamic and open learning process allowed the organization to move beyond them. Pearson s account, drawn with insights from cultural studies, mental health practice, and the arts, will guide other practitioners in broadening their own understanding of capacity-building. The book reveals that development work, far from requiring a singular solution, is and should be a never-ending process.

About this title

Review

""Creative Capacity Development, " should be compulsory reading for every first world donor and development expert, every peace building and human rights practitioner, every development studies student, and every fresh faced volunteer to the third world. For the inexperienced, it will raise awareness about the many pitfalls that lay ahead in development relationships and building capacity. For the experienced, it is a reminder how easy it is for us to get stuck in our ways, think we have all the answers and, over time, lose our creativity and flexibility. The lessons shared here are authentic and rich as Jenny Pearson has honestly shared the successes, failures, assumptions and vulnerabilities of her own development practice journey."

Edition details

• Publisher: Lynne Rienner Publishers
• Publication date: 2011
• Language: English
• ISBN 10: 156549329X
• ISBN 13: 9781565493292
• Binding: Paperback
• Edition number: 1
• Number of pages: 256