Research progress in the DRC

Researchers from the Deepening Democracy in States and Localities
group met at Dunford House, Sussex in March 2007

Field research continues in each of the thematic areas of the Citizenship DRC: the deepening democracy group; the violence, citizenship and participation group and the citizen engagements in a globalising world group.

Following on from a workshop in March 2007 that generated a coherent research framework, researchers from the Deepening Democracy in States and Localities group continue their field work. They communicate regularly by email, holding e-discussions on particular relevant themes.

The workshop also generated a DRC-wide initiative to develop a set of teaching courses and teaching methodologies based on the research of the DRC. A group is to take the teaching project forward and the plan is to meet early next year.

Cross country research collaborations are also strengthening within this group. The African partners met in South Africa in June to discuss a continental approach to their work; identifying themes and cross cutting issues that have an African relevance across their research projects. Researchers from South Africa , Nigeria and Angola attended and it is hoped that Kenyan researchers will join later.

The Violence, Participation and Citizenship group have been using particularly innovative research methodologies that can be adapted and used in violent contexts. The group has used participatory video, theatre and has brought together quantitative and qualitative methods. This combination has given a base line for the social and economic profile of the research locations and will enable researchers to develop more rigorous cross case comparisons in the future.

The group has tried to involve “the researched” in the research process wherever possible with the objective of encouraging them to make use of the research in their activities and efforts to reduce violence in their own communities.

The Citizen Engagement in a Globalising World group recently held a week long e-dialogue to share their preliminary research findings and deepen debates.

Researchers have also been taking part in individual activities relating to their work. Rajesh Tandon and Julie Thekkudan at PRIA, India continued their work on citizen engagement and global market interventions with particular reference to Hindustan Lever Limited, the Indian wing of Unilever. They collected data and are translating a report into the regional language, Telugu for sharing with the various stakeholders and to hold a multi-stakeholder dialogue.

Another DRC researcher, Marj Mayo , gave a key note address at the bi-annual conference of the International Association for Community Development, at City University , Hong Kong 24-27th June. The conference was called 'Partnership for People-centred Development : challenges and responses in a globalising world' and the paper was called 'Only Connect Locally and Globally; community develop me nt and people-centred develop ment'. The paper was based on the DRC research. Marj will be going to Nigerian in July for further research on the Global Campaign for Education in collaboration with Action Aid.

Related Resources

Violence, power and participation – building citizenship in contexts of chronic violence