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Institution: Hohenheim University, Germany
E-mail: Dneubert@uni-hohenheim.de
Biosummary:
Ph.D. in sociology (magna cum laude) Freie Universität, Berlin, Germany. Professional experience Since 1995: Freie Universität, Berlin Privatdozent (Reader). 1998 - 1999: Universität Bayreuth Temporary Professor for Sociology of Development. Since 1999: Universität Bayreuth Visting Professor (Josef G. Knoll Stiftungsgastprofessur) for development studies. Research Activities: Since 1996: Member of an international research network on "Participatory research and gender analysis for technology development" , the network is an project of CGIAR (Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research). 1998: Review of the "International Board of Soil Research and Managment" (IBSRAM) (member of the review panel).
Title: "Poverty alleviation as intervention in complex and dynamic social fields."
Theme: 4A
The results of poverty alleviation programmes are disappointing. A core problem is that poverty has been treated mostly as a lack of income. To make poverty alleviation more effective we must understand the existing strategies of survival. The strategies of rural poor follow a different logic than those of commercial farmers. Survival is based on a combination of on- and off-farm activities and the use of social networks integrated in a local moral economy. The acting of poor people is embedded in complex and dynamic social fields that have to be understood from a micro-perspective.
Every project of poverty alleviation is an intervention in these complex and dynamic local structures. This triggers a local social process of change which results can not be completely planned or exactly foreseen. Solutions for local problems are locally specific and unique. Participatory approaches are an equivalent answer. However, the expectations are too high. We need a more realistic perspective and we should develop means to make a better use of results of participatory projects like a widened basket of strategic and technical options, the search for second and third best solutions, better documented case studies and better ways of evaluation of poverty alleviation that include local perspectives and local criteria.