Robert Chambers' latest thought provoking offering.

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Product Description

Yet all is not lost. Robert Chambers, one of the glass is half full optimists of international development, suggests that the problems can be solved and everyone has the power at a personal level to take action, develop solutions and remake our world as it can and should be. Chambers peels apart and analyses aspects of development that have been neglected or misunderstood. In each chapter, he presents an earlier writing which he then reviews and reflects upon in a contemporary light before harvesting a wealth of powerful conclusions and practical implications for the future. The book draws on experiences from Africa, Asia and elsewhere, covering topics and concepts as wide and varied as irreversibility, continuity and commitment; administrative capacity as a scarce resource; procedures and principles; participation in the past, present and future; scaling up; behaviour and attitudes; responsible wellbeing; and concepts for development in the 21st century.

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Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #95263 in Books
• Published on: 2005-03-03
• Original language: English
• Number of items: 1
• Binding: Paperback
• 320 pages

About the Author
Robert Chambers is Research Associate, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex and the author of Participatory Workshops (2002)

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Customer Reviews

Good fundamental reading
In 'Ideas for development' Robert Chambers does well to open up debate on a number of issues. There is a growing school of thought within development that has resulted from the 'participation' phenomenon, and Chambers embraces, and in some ways extends this. Development has for a long time been called 'international development' and although Chambers comments mostly on international issues, he shows the need for participation of those in the 'western' world. He discusses the need and responsibility of all of us to review our own existence and make life style changes. In the modern globalize world he argues we should not think of development as 'the 3rd world's' problem, but as OUR collective challenge. The only real criticism can come from the lack of conclusion. Sometimes Chambers' ideas sound a little like spiritual rhetoric, and lack fundamental views on how to move forward. On the other hand perhaps this is his point, that until we change our thinking we can not expect to build conclusive strategies for improvement.