We structured our methodology, AMESH, around a set of Guiding Questions (see http://www.ovc.uoguelph.ca/popmed/ecosys/AMESH7changes.pdf)
Although it looks like a step by step methodology, we know that in practice it goes in all soprts of orders. The point was to ensure that we covered all the appropriate questions. AMESH grew out of development work in Nepal (urban), Kenya (peri-urban), Peru (amazonian jungle), and southern Ontario (suburban). We have sinced used it (or variations thereof) in Manitoba, India and Cuba. Our questions was what was generalizable in a field in which all answers were culture & ecosystem specific? - The questions. The book which I am doing for Columbia U Press will cover all the cases & theory, but since James Kay died it has taken much longer than expected. I hope by next year. The book chapter above, from Midgely's book, gives the bare bones. The history is: at http://www.ecologyandsociety.org/vol10/iss1/ dwt Quoting Will Allen <[email protected]>: > I think the conversation that Tom and Margaret have just had is > important, because it relates to how widely we can share and learn from > each others experiences across different contexts and/or cases. Are > lessons from the traditional development context (largely countries in > the south), applicable in say OECD countries. > > My own view is that the lessons and the contexts are very similar, so > long as we go beyond the immediate acknowledgement that every situation > has different people involved - and they all need to be respected within > their own situations and cultures. (i.e. each case still needs to > involve a stakeholder analysis to make sure that the right people are > involved, to create an awareness of power structures, etc) > > My first experiences with participatory approaches came when I was > working in Nairobi [first for The Environmental Liaison Centre, and > subsequently for UNCHS(Habitat)]. When I started working in New Zealand > I read and learnt primarily from the development literature (Farmer > First, PRA, etc.) and brought those techniques to my work in New > Zealand. More latterly I have had the opportunity to be involved in > workshops looking at how to make research more participatory in the > Pacific, Southern Africa and within the CGIAR system. Although I worried > about how applicable or transferable my lessons gained from practice > working with science teams in New Zealand might be in those situations - > I feel that the New Zealand lessons were immediately useful in those > different settings, and vice versa. So, I came back to my work here with > more ideas, tools and approaches. > > Similarly, I would suggest that the time is ripe to learn across > sectors too. Moves to support participation and learning are emerging > from organizational development, health, education and environment. I > think that in the end we are working to bring about systems that respect > different stakeholder groups, and bring about learning, and empowerment. > > > The counterpoint to that is that the opportunities I get to work in are > funded under such headings as biodiversity, urban environment, climate > change ..... and I get encouraged to clearly develop my learnings as > specific too and having emerged from the particular funding sector. > > It would be good to hear other opinions on this. I think that breaking > this barrier needs integrated research approaches such as those we are > talking about here, not only to be carried out in such as a way that it > can demonstrate appropriate rigor and relevance. It needs to be > legitimized. Networking like that in this e-conference can help us > address both those points. > > regards > Will > > ===================================== > Will Allen (PhD) > Research Co-ordinator: Collaborative learning for environmental > management > Manaaki Whenua - Landcare Research NZ Ltd. > PO Box 69, Lincoln, NEW ZEALAND > Tel: +64 3 3256701 ext 3762 Mobile: 0274 934 213 Fax: +64 3 3252418 > http://social.landcareresearch.co.nz/ > E-mail: [email protected] > > NRM_changelinks: An on-line guide to improving community participation > in environment & development > http://nrm-changelinks.net/ > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > WARNING: This email and any attachments may be confidential and/or > privileged. They are intended for the addressee only and are not to be read, > used, copied or disseminated by anyone receiving them in error. If you are > not the intended recipient, please notify the sender by return email and > delete this message and any attachments. > > The views expressed in this email are those of the sender and do not > necessarily reflect the official views of Landcare Research. > > Landcare Research > http://www.landcareresearch.co.nz > ++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++++ > > > > _______________________________________________ > IntSci mailing list > [email protected] > http://mail.learningforsustainability.net/mailman/listinfo/intsci_learningforsustainability.net > D. Waltner-Toews, Professor Department of Population Medicine University of Guelph Guelph, Ontario, Canada www.ovcnet.uoguelph.ca/popmed/ecosys www.nesh.ca www.eccho.ca _______________________________________________ IntSci mailing list [email protected] http://mail.learningforsustainability.net/mailman/listinfo/intsci_learningforsustainability.net
