Asset-based and citizen-led development: Using a diffracted power lens to analyze the possibilities and challenges

Alison Mathie, Jenny Cameron and Katherine Gibson
Additional contact information
Alison Mathie: Coady International Institute, St. Francis Xavier University, Antigonish, Nova Scotia, Canada
Jenny Cameron: Discipline of Geography & Environmental Studies, University of Newcastle Callaghan, Australia
Katherine Gibson: Institute for Culture and Society, Western Sydney University, Australia

Progress in Development Studies, 2017, vol. 17, issue 1, 54-66

Abstract: Asset-based community development or Asset-based and citizen-led development (ABCD) is being used in a range of development contexts. Some researchers have been quick to dismiss ABCD as part of the neoliberal project and an approach that perpetuates unequal power relations. This article uses a diffracted power analysis to explore the possibilities associated with ABCD as well as the challenges. It focuses on the application of ABCD in the Philippines, Ethiopia and South Africa, and finds that ABCD can reverse internalized powerlessness, strengthen opportunities for collective endeavours and help to build local capacity for action.

Keywords: asset-based community development; power; collective action; Philippines; Ethiopia; South Africa (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2017
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (4)

Downloads: (external link)
https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/1464993416674302 (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:sae:prodev:v:17:y:2017:i:1:p:54-66

DOI: 10.1177/1464993416674302

Access Statistics for this article

More articles in Progress in Development Studies
Bibliographic data for series maintained by SAGE Publications ().