WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Mapping Dialogue

From Zaid Hassan at WorldChanging: Another World Is Here: Mapping Dialogue:

"Those of us working for social change should have one key idea flash-burned into our consciousness. If the communities we wish to benefit have not participated or been involved in decision making processes then there will be a lack of ownership and the initiative will most likely fail (if not sooner then certainly later). This key idea is forgotten again and again and the results are sadly predictable. Dialogue is a key tool in ensuring that this particular trap is avoided. Given the frequency with which this particular trap appears on the landscape of social change and development projects, a map to the terrain is no bad thing to be carrying.

Produced by Pioneers of Change (whom I have worked for in the past), 'Mapping Dialogue' is a research project profiling dialogue tools and processes for social change. It was written and published out of Johannesburg, South Africa and commissioned by GTZ (the German development co-operation agency) as part of their support for the Nelson Mandela Foundation's dialogue programme. This means that it is not only cognizant of African realities but also richly draws upon them."