The participatory approach: Contradiction and co-option in Burkina Faso

Abstract

"Participation" has become overwhelmingly popular in recent years without sufficient attention paid to its ambiguities. This paper critically examines participatory development, first by presenting an overview of types and degrees of participation and then through the analysis of a case study of a non-formal education project in Burkina Faso. The intention is to articulate the difficulties in implementing the "genuine" participation which is espoused at academic and policy levels by presenting a case in which different stakeholders employ participation to their advantage and the realities of the field act as barriers to participatory development.