Dear colleagues, Here is a new publication, and a link to introductory chapters, that = many of you may find interesting.
The book is by Irene Guijt, and it outlines how learning and monitoring = can become better 'friends' than is currently usually the case. The book = comes=20 off the press tomorrow. The full reference: Guijt, Irene, ed. (2007). = Negotiated Learning: Collaborative Monitoring for Forest Resource=20 Management. Washington DC, Resources for the Future/Center for = International Forestry Research. Although the cases in the book focus on = natural resource=20 (forest) management, the issues about how to create genuine learning = through the construction, negotiation and implementation of a monitoring = process=20 will have much wider relevance. The book comes off the press tomorrow and details on how to obtain the = book through Amazon can be found at: = http://learningforsustainability.net/social_learning/books.php The following description of the book is given from the Amazon website: = "The first book to critically examine how monitoring can be an effective = tool in=20 participatory resource management, Negotiated Learning draws on the = first-hand experiences of researchers and development professionals in = eleven countries in Africa, Asia, and South America. Collective = monitoring shifts the emphasis of development and conservation = professionals from externally defined programs to a locally relevant = process. It focuses on community participation in the selection of the = indicators to be monitored as well as in the learning and application of = knowledge from the data that are collected. As with other aspects of = collaborative management, collaborative monitoring emphasizes building = local capacity so that=20 communities can gradually assume full responsibility for the management = of their resources. The cases in Negotiated Learning highlight best = practices but stress that collaborative monitoring is a relatively new = area of theory and practice. The cases focus on four themes: the = challenge of data-driven monitoring in forest systems that supply = multiple products and serve diverse functions and stakeholders; the = importance of building upon existing dialogue and learning systems; the = need to better understand social and political differences among local = users and other stakeholders; and the need to ensure the continuing = adaptiveness of monitoring systems. This book is a copublication with = the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR)." The author advises that the publisher kindly gave permission to place = three chapters, including the concluding chapter, on the web:=20 http://www.cifor.cgiar.org/livesinforest/_ref/methods/index.htm . regards Will =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D= =3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D=3D Will Allen (PhD) Research Leader: Collaborative Learning Group Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research NZ Ltd. PO Box 40, Lincoln 7640, NEW ZEALAND Tel: +64 3 3219600 Mobile: 0274 934 213 Fax: +64 3 3219998 http://social.landcareresearch.co.nz/ E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED] LearningForSustainability.net - http://learningforsustainability.net/ - Supporting dialogue, collective action and reflection for environment, = health & development ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++=20
