Whose Reality Counts?

This volume explores the boundaries of participatory rural appraisal (PRA). With PRA now widely adopted, with varying degress of success, the author examines the next steps as "the methodological revolution continues". The work presents an analysis of the relationship between professionals and the poor, The realities of development professionals, embracing such values as measurement and control, are at odds with those of the poor they seek to assist.

Poor people's realities are instead diverse, dynamic and unpredictable, yet the professionals so often impose their own realities upon the poor. Chambers argues that professionals must adapt their approaches to bridge this gap since "we now know better what people can do, and especially poor rural people...It is more than we supposed".