Knowledge and People's Power - Multiworld India

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us together as dependent peoples of the peripheral Third World where thePAR idea was originally conceived. Such preoccupations served to unite us.For all these reasons it can now be said that PAR has acquired a certainconsistency and that it seeks to achieve even greater acceptance as an openand creative alternative in the political and scientific goals which we saw asthe challenge facing us in Cartagena.PAR has shown itself to be an endogenous intellectual and practicalcreation of the peoples of the Third World. Neither its appearance nor itssignificance in Latin America can be understood outside the specific contextof the economic, social and scientific development of the region during the1960s. Its main components derive from the regional appearance anddiffusion of theories of dependence (Cardoso, Furtado) and exploitation(Gonzalez, Casanova), the counter-theory of subversion (Camilo Torres) andthe theology of liberation (Gutierrez), dialogical techniques (Freire) and thereinterpretation of the theses on scientists' commitment and neutrality takenfrom Marx and Gramsci, among others.Indeed, we view PAR as a methodology within a total experientialprocess (ensuring a satisfactory productive cycle of life and labour in humancommunities). Its aim is to achieve "power" and not merely "growth" for thegrassroots population. This total process simultaneously encompasses adulteducation, scientific research and political action in which critical theory,situation analyses and practice are seen as sources of knowledge. PARimplies the acquisition of experience and valid data for the construction of aspecial kind of power-people's power-which belongs to the oppressed andexploited classes and groups and their organisations, and the defence of theirjust interests to enable them to advance towards shared goals of social changewithin a participatory political system. People's power is expressed throughexternal and internal mechanisms that monitor and supervise these processesof change and the leaders who bring them about, in the forms which we havecalled "countervailing power", the most complex expressions of which arethe regional socio-political movements. These concepts and ideas are dealtwith in section 8.The PAR studies carried out up to now have been based almostexclusively on small local cases and individual regions.10
The approach has been necessary in order to identify and understand clearlythe mechanisms of this complicated research process. The, attempts atsystematisation have reflected simply the overall results of the casesexamined and led to the paradox (counterproductive in my view) of givingthe impression that PAR is an already finished product. This, of course, is notso and was not the goal sought by those of us who put forward the idea. Onthe contrary, we wish to preserve the original freshness and spontaneity ofPAR as we advance towards the necessary methodological clarity.However, among the tasks which were not completed during thesedifficult and decisive years of struggle was one which concerns the directcomparative utilisation of the same conceptual and technical guide forworking with PAR in different contexts, countries and cultures. Such astep-which at first sight seems to contradict the autonomous parameters of themethod-could not be taken without the support of local participatory bodies.Nor could it be done without national teams of researchers who were able tocarry out the work responsibly and carefully in the allotted time withoutlosing sight of the philosophy of action or the quest for knowledge which hadstimulated all of us from the beginning.National conditions began to mature in such a way that it at last becamefeasible to undertake such a comparative project in Latin America. This wasmade possible thanks to the support of the International Labour Office, (RuralEmployment Policies Branch, Employment and Development Department),with the collaboration of Md. Anisur Rahman, Dharam Ghai and J.P. Martin,and the contributions of public and private institutions in Colombia, Mexicoand Nicaragua which came to the task with enthusiasm and dedication.In Colombia, four private institutions which had been working with.peasants for a number of years offered their collaboration. In addition to thePunta de Lanza Foundation in Bogota, the Development Co-operationEnterprise (EMCODES) and the People's Communication Foundation, bothin Cali, provided staff and resources for work in the south of the country.Local co-ordination was the responsibility of Alvaro Velasco Alvarez, alawyer, and John Jairo Cardenas, an educator. They chose Puerto Tejada asthe site for the participatory experience in view11
Page 1 and 2: Knowledge and People's PowerLessons
Page 3 and 4: Field CollaboratorsOrlando Fals Bor
Page 5 and 6: AcknowledgementsThe author acknowle
Page 7 and 8: PrefaceThe present study of "Knowle
Page 9: IntroductionThe five years followin
Page 13 and 14: One question which united us all wa
Page 15 and 16: led us to a fruitful consensus at t
Page 17 and 18: new ones being formed, because this
Page 19: Canada, Italy, the Netherlands, Swe
Page 23 and 24: The Poor Peasants Mobilise"Grandpa,
Page 25 and 26: they had learned in the local peasa
Page 27 and 28: lands that we took from, the old es
Page 29: LESSON ONE(Level 2)LEARNING TO INTE
Page 32 and 33: y the base communities. In fact it
Page 34 and 35: In this way the foundations were la
Page 36 and 37: The numerous journeys of these grad
Page 38 and 39: CDSUNAG- Sandinist Defence Committe
Page 40 and 41: As a rule, these dogmatic and overb
Page 42 and 43: supervising and promoting our work
Page 44 and 45: would have failed because there are
Page 46 and 47: degree of rejection and resistance
Page 48 and 49: give their authorisation. They may
Page 50 and 51: political and economic demands. The
Page 52 and 53: and discussion groups. They went ah
Page 54 and 55: about one another as we did in this
Page 56 and 57: the first local contacts had been e
Page 58 and 59: and demonstrated that it is possibl
Page 61 and 62:
1. COLLECTIVE RESEARCHThe problems
Page 63 and 64:
in the form of witness accounts, do
Page 65 and 66:
understood in books are easily lear
Page 67 and 68:
was a recollection which had been r
Page 69 and 70:
the material souvenirs of her past
Page 71 and 72:
of San Agustin Atenango a little be
Page 73 and 74:
farm, and was always niggardly to t
Page 75 and 76:
y their enthusiastic and loyal dedi
Page 77 and 78:
practices which are free from the a
Page 79 and 80:
Indian," "The air is free," "The Co
Page 81 and 82:
elationship. In the Colombian coast
Page 83 and 84:
4. PRODUCTION AND DIFFUSION OFNEW K
Page 85 and 86:
esult from an erroneous application
Page 87 and 88:
visits to the city archives; a simp
Page 89 and 90:
would be unwise for animators not t
Page 91:
CONCEPTUAL SUMMARYFOR ANIMATORS(Lev
Page 94 and 95:
knowledge upon which to construct p
Page 96 and 97:
experience of something we intuitiv
Page 98 and 99:
permanent hierarchies. The proof of
Page 100 and 101:
Nevertheless, the open-ended nature
Page 102 and 103:
een overcome. It becomes necessary
Page 104 and 105:
to the level of political conscienc
Page 106 and 107:
2. FURTHER READINGAviles Solis, C.
Page 108 and 109:
International Council for Adult Edu
Page 110 and 111:
_: "Urban problems and social chang
Page 112 and 113:
112
Page 114 and 115:
the intense educational campaigns o
Page 116 and 117:
the principal force of the Sandinis
Page 118 and 119:
irrigation and dry farming, palm we
Page 120 and 121:
pursued: the struggle for access to
Page 122 and 123:
“collective self-teaching" is sti
Page 124 and 125:
The people are in general of a tri-
Page 126 and 127:
The mass media (radio and newspaper
Page 128 and 129:
local women an important role in th
Page 130 and 131:
Something similar as regards people
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