Community Organization and Rural Development: A Learning Process Approach

Abstract

Through a grant made available by The Ford Founda­ tion, PAR is pleased to present to its readers a compre­ hensively documented, in-depth research study on Com­ munity Organization and Rural Development: A Learning Process Approach, by David C. Korten. This study com­ bines both extensive and intensive analysis of develop­ ment assistance programs in Asia, and focuses specifically on five case studies which provide the basis for the author's strong conviction that Third World development assistance programs must be part of a holistically perceived learning process as opposed to a bureaucratically mandated blue­ print design. Stated in the abstract, this proposition, in and of itself, should cause no surprise. The real value of Kor­ ten's efforts, however, may be found in his case studies which provide rich insights into just what can be accom­ plished in the way of social development if the development