General news 2005

Citizenship DRC Synthesis conference, 28-29 November 2005, Sussex University, Brighton

At the end of November, the Citizenship DRC held a two day Synthesis conference. This event provided the opportunity to discuss key findings and lessons across programmes from the last five years. Eight synthesis papers were presented and discussed. On the second day, partners also presented drama and videos on their work. The report of this conference will soon be available.

Citizenship DRC Planning Workshop, 30 November- 1 December 2005 , University of Sussex, Brighton

This two day workshop was for researchers who presented a proposal for the next round. The aim of the meeting was to discuss and elaborate future research themes of the Citizenship DRC and to plan work for the next two years.

Steering committee Meeting, 2 December 2005 , IDS, Brighton

The Steering Committee held a meeting to discuss and make decisions on the future work of the DRC. This was the first Steering Committee meeting of the new round of the DRC, and included new country representatives and new convenors.

DFID Social Development Advisor's (SDA) Retreat, 3 November 2005 , Oxford

The Citizenship DRC was invited to participate in a learning day at the SDA's retreat. John Gaventa, Naila Kabeer, Andrea Cornwall, Rosalind Eyben, Steve Oga Abah and Joanna Wheeler shared with SDAs recent debates and empirical research on themes of citizenship, participation and accountability, and discussed how this research links to their work in their own contexts. In addition, the Theatre for a Development Centre (TFDC) from Nigeria , one of the DRC partners, demonstrated the use of popular theatre as an innovative approach to research and learning.

Citizenship DRC Internship Programme 2005

The Citizenship DRC interns have just returned from fruitful research experience with our partners. Sonia Martins undertook research with our partner in Brazil , CEBRAP, on the dynamics of decentralisation and participation in Tijuco Alto. Nicholas Benequista worked with our partners in Mexico , UNAM, to research the political economy of information on water and its role in participatory processes of environmental governance.

One World Action Launch of the Zed Book volume ‘Inclusive Citizenship: Meanings and Expressions’, edited by Naila Kabeer, June 30, 2005, SOAS, London

The meeting jointly hosted by the Institute of Development Studies and One World Action marked the launch of Inclusive Citizenship - Meanings and Expressions, edited by Naila Kabeer (published by Zed Books) which brings together experience and analysis from the UK, Bangladesh, Brazil, India, Nigeria, South Africa, the US, and elsewhere. This book explores how people understand citizenship and the rights they associate with it. The speakers included: Rt Hon Claire Short, MP; Naila Kabeer, Institute of Development Studies, University of Sussex; Brian Carr, Birmingham Voluntary Service Council; Nira Yuval-Davis, Cultural Studies Department, University of East London; Andy Norton, UK Department for International Development; Zohra Khan, One World Action.