BEYOND METHODOLOGIES - COALITION-BUILDING FOR PARTICIPATORY TECHNOLOGY DEVELOPMENT

Participatory and other approaches to technology development have shar ed a recent preoccupation with specific methods and doubts about just how much can be expected of the methods themselves, as opposed to hew they are applied, by whom, and in what circumstances. Detailed analysi s of historical cases suggests that the development of both technologi es and methodologies is highly dependent on local context. Such proces ses are characterized by conflicts over the direction of change and af fected by the activities of a particular type of grouping, the develop ment coalition. These coalitions are examined and implications are con sidered for training, education and Participatory technology developme nt. (C) 1998 Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved.