Rural development : the interplay of analysis and action

J. SIFFIN, G. JOHNSON, J. P. GITTINGER, P. LYMAN, AND R. BLUE) IS BOTH EXPLORATORY AND EXPERIMENTAL. IT EXPLORES CERTAIN THEMES AND CONCERNS THAT LIE ALONG THE EDGES OF MORE CONVENTIONAL STATEMENTS ABOUT ASPECTS OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT. IN PRACTICE, A LOT OF THE "THINKING" ABOUT RURAL DEVELOPMENT TENDS TO BE MUCH SEPARATED FROM THE "DOING." THUS ONE PRIME CONCERN OF THOSE WHO WOULD PROMOTE THE DEVELOPMENT OF RURAL AREAS IN POOR COUNTRIES OUGHT TO BE THE INTERPLAY OF ANALYSIS AND ACTION. TWO CRUCIAL NEEDS ARE TO STRENGTHEN THAT INTERPLAY AND TO ENLARGE THE AMBIT AND POTENCY OF ANALYSIS SO THAT IT LEADS TOWARD MORE EFFECTIVE STRATEGIES OF ACTION. THE MATERIAL IN THIS PUBLICATION IS DRAWN FROM A PILOT WORKSHOP ON RURAL DEVELOPMENT CONDUCTED UNDER PASITAM AUSPICES AT MICHIGAN STATE UNIVERSITY IN 1974. THE AIM OF THE WORKSHOP WAS TO EXPLORE THE POTENTIALS FOR RELATING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT "INSTITUTION BUILDING" AND "TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE METHODOLOGY" TO SOME CENTRAL CONCERNS IN THE FIELD OF RURAL DEVELOPMENT. MUCH OF WHAT WAS SAID AT THE WORKSHOP WAS CONVENTIONAL, AND IS NOT INCLUDED IN THIS PUBLICATION. SOME OF THE NOVEL MATERIALS ARE INCLUDED -- THE DISCUSSION OF CERTAIN PRACTICAL PROBLEMS OF THE RELATION BETWEEN ANALYSIS AND DECISION-MAKING. THEY DISPLAY SUCH THINGS AS THE ASSUMPTIONS EMBEDDED IN CERTAIN FORMS OF ANALYSIS AND SOME OF THE WORKING RELATIONSHIPS BETWEEN PRODUCERS AND THE SOMETIME CONSUMERS OF ANALYSIS PRODUCTS.