GenderMethods:AnOverview

CarolJ.PierceColferand

RebakahMinarchekCIFORGenderWorkshop6‐8November2012

Methodologicalissuesingenderandnaturalresources

• All‐purposemethods/resources

• Methodsforthreekindsofusers:thoseneedingsomething– ‘quickand[perhaps]dirty’– Systematic/academic/extractive

– Participatory,usuallylongterm• Conclusions

Hugevarietyofapproaches

• E.g.Marxistfeminists,ThirdWorldfeminists,feministpoliticalecologists,ecofeminists,feministenvironmentalists,socialistfeminists,feministpoststructuralists,institutionalanalysisanddevelopmentspecialists

• WID,GAD,WAD[Marxist,WomenandDevelopment],DAWN[DevelopmentAlternativeswithWomenforaNewEra],WED[Women,environmentandSustainableDevelopment]

I.FourCommonAll‐PurposeMethods

1. reviewofexistingliterature,2. surveys/questionnaires,3. interviews,and4. casestudies5. [Indices(SIGI,VCI,WEAI)]

DisaggregatebySex

UsefulQuantitativeOverviews

• OECDdevelopedSIGI(SocialInstitutions&GenderIndex)–socialnorms&genderequality

• India’s(India)ISETproducedVCI(VulnerabilityCapacityIndex)–onclimatechange

• IFPRI,OPHI&USAIDdevelopedWEAI(Women’sEmpowermentinAgricultureIndex)

II.Foruserswithfewresources(time,money&expertise)

• PRA,RRA,RAAKS[RapidAssessmentofAgriculturalKnowledgeSystems],etc.

• Manycollectionsavailable(e.g.Geilfus2008)

• E.g.historicaltransects,pebbledistributiongames,seasonalcalendars,venn

diagrams,wealthranking,sondeos,

CATPAC,focusgroups,future

scenarios,++

FromBehrmannetal.2012

• DiagnosisandDesign(D&D);DiagnosticoRuralRapido(DRR);FarmerParticipatoryResearch;FarmingSystemsResearch;GroupedeRechercheetd’Appuipourl’Auto‐PromotionPaysanne(GRAPP);MethodeAccelereedeRechercheParticipative(MARP);Micro‐PlanningWorkshops;ParticipatoryAnalysisandLearningMethods(PALM);ParticipatoryActionResearch(PAR);ParticipatoryMonitoringandEvaluation(PME);ParticipatoryOperationalResearchProjects(PORP);ParticipatoryPovertyAssessment(PPA);ParticipatoryPovertyMonitoring(PPM);ParticipatoryPolicyResearch(PPR);ParticipatoryResearchMethodology(PRM);ParticipatoryRuralAppraisal(PRA);ParticipatoryRuralAppraisalandPlanning(PRAP);ParticipatorySocialAssessment(PSA);ParticipatoryTechnologyDevelopment(PTD);ParticipatoryUrbanAppraisal(PUA);PlanningforReal(PfR);ProcessDocumentation;RapidAppraisal;RapidAssessmentofAgriculturalKnowledgeSystems(RAAKS);RapidAssessmentProcedures(RAP);RapidAssessmentTechniques(RAT);RapidCatchmentAnalysis(RCA);RapidEthnographicAssessment(REA);RapidFoodSecurityAnalysis(RFSA);RapidMulti‐perspectiveAppraisal(RMA);RapidOrganisationalAssessment(ROA);RapidRuralAppraisal(RRA);SamuhikBrahman(JointTrek);Self‐esteem,AssociativeStrength,Resourcefulness,ActionPlanning,andResponsibility(SARAR);SoftSystemsMethodology(SSM);TheatreforDevelopment;TrainingforTransformation(TFT);VillageAppraisal(VA);VisualisationinParticipatoryProgrammes(VIPP);andZielorientierteProjektPlanung(ZOPP).

AdvantagesofPRA

• Speedy

• inexpensiveness

• quicklookatcommunityrealities

• entrées,waystomeetafew

communitymembers,establishearlylevelsofrapport,explainwhyyouarethere

DangersofPRA

• Thelikelihoodofmisunderstanding&errorincreasewithaquickvisit.

• Divingintoacommunitywithoutknowledgeofhowpeoplegroup(e.g.politicalfactions)canraisebarriersdifficulttoovercomelater.

• Beginningworkinanewcommunitywithoutfirstestablishingtrust,rapportcanleadtolies&misrepresentation.

III.Foruserswithsocialscienceexpertiseeasilyavailable

• Useofexistingdocuments

• Statistical&quantitativeanalysis

• ComputerDependentmethods

• Ethnography• Interpretivemethods

Advantages/DifferentiationfromPRA(1/2)

• Widelyacceptedtheory&method

• Focusedresearchertrainingorpastexperienceontopic&method.

• Sufficienttimeframeforresearch

Advantages/DifferentiationfromPRA(2/2)

• Evidenceofa)replicability;b)evidence‐based,keyinsightsintohistoricaltrends;&/orc)interactionsamongpartsofkeysystems

• Resultslikelytobepublishableinacceptedscientificjournals

ConstraintstoSystematic/AcademicUseofSocialScienceExpertise

• Trainedpeoplemayuseconceptualframeworks&terminologiesalientoothers

• Refereedjournalslonglagtimes–perhapstoolong

• Socialscientists’in‐depthtrainingmayhavereducedexposuretobiophysicalsciences

IV.Foruserswithadequateresources,seekingunderstandingand

long‐termdevelopment• Participatoryapproachesstrengthenlocalcapabilities(analysis,networking,monitoring,conflictmgm’t,leadership,facilitation+)

• [Especiallywomen’sviewpoints;

voice]

• UsesPRA&extractivemethodsascomplements,asneeded

CommonElementsofParticipatoryApproaches

• Developingavision

• Planningandmonitoring

• Facilitationofcollectiveaction

• Approachingequityexplicitly

• Participatorymodeling

AdvantagestoParticipatoryApproaches(1)

• Takessystemsapproach–attendstomultiplyintersectingelementsofwomen’s&men’slives&environment

• Buildsonlocalknowledge(men’s,women’s),‘married’withexternalknowledge

• Recognizeshuman&environmentalpropensityforchange,withmechanismsfordealingwithchange

AdvantagestoParticipatoryApproaches(2)

• Recognizesflexibilityrequiredbychangingcircumstances,greaterlikelihoodofrespondingappropriately

DOUBLYADVANTAGEOUSWITHATTENTIONTOGENDER

ChallengeswithParticipatoryApproaches

• Long(variable)periodsoftime

• Qualified/trainedpersonsregularlyinvolvedinvillagelife(remote,uncomfortable,dangerous?)

• Impossibletoensureoriginalplanssucceed,resultingneedforhumility,willingnesstochange—lossofperceivedcontrol.

• Superior(notunequivocal)rightsofcommunitiestodeterminecollaborativeactions.

ConcludingReminders

• Womenhaveactiverolesinmanynaturalresourcesystems.We’lldoabetterjobifweattendtothosedoingthework.

CONSIDERinmethodsselection:

• Scale(macro,meso,micro),genderedpowerdifferentials,andresourcesavailable(time,expertise,funds)

CommentsWelcome!

SketchesbyParadornThreemake