PARTICIPATORY LAW AND DEVELOPMENT: REMAPPING THE LOCUS OF AUTHORITY

Maggi Carfield

Participatory Law and Development: Remapping the Locus of Authority argues that law and development efforts have been ineffective, at least in part, because development agencies have failed to engage communities in the process of both setting agendas and instituting programs and policies.  This work argues that there must be a fundamental shift in the law and international development paradigm.  Scholars and practitioners must abandon the question, how can “we” change “them” and instead begin by asking a different question: in what ways, if any, does a community want to change the rules it operates by and how can external actors assist in that process? Ultimately, this Article advocates for a participatory approach to law and development, with a focus on enhancing self-determination.