WISO302101 Participatory methods in development research and practice

Type
Seminar
Semester hours
2
Lecturer (assistant)
Hauser, Michael
Organisation
Development Research
Offered in
Sommersemester 2026
Languages of instruction
Englisch
Content

Participatory methods drive change across contexts such as plant and livestock breeding, watershed rehabilitation, flash flood management, and co-design of food environments in informal urban settlements. These methods are interventions in social systems, where communication, collective sense-making, and distributed decision-making shape how people coordinate change. These methods also enable social systems i to leverage material, social, and political resources to enhance impact. The course introduces students to a comprehensive array of methods, including Participatory Rural Appraisal, Farmer Participatory Research, and Agroecosystems Analysis, applicable to development research and the facilitation of change processes. In addition to practical skills training, the course equips students to apply the tools in practice. Students are encouraged to critically reflect on the theoretical scope and limitations of participatory methods.
Previous knowledge expected

Participants should be interested in change processes in complex environments and in learning about methods to facilitate them. Active participation in discussions, group work, and online check-ins is expected, along with a willingness to read, listen to podcast episodes, and watch online resources. Additionally, students should be committed to a mini-study project.
Objective (expected results of study and acquired competences)

1. List different participatory methods and approaches, and explain how they evolved.
2. Describe participatory approaches and methods used in developing countries and why they are used.
3. Identify epistemologies of different stakeholder groups.
4. Identify the consequences of different approaches to collaborative research and management.
5. Apply participatory methods in a self-reflective mode.
6. Assess strengths/weaknesses of different participatory methods.
7. Master methods in different professional roles (notably as researcher, process facilitator).
8. Integrate participatory methods into research on and management of natural resources.
9. Design participatory methods and applications based on training examples.
You can find more details like the schedule or information about exams on the course-page in BOKUonline.