Inclusive policy development

The complexity of the world's problems leads intellectuals to believe that the little people living in the remote corners of the cities couldn't possibly have anything to say about their problems. These experts would like to say and do everything for them. The action-research method proposed in this book needs support like that of Karl Popper, whose thinking is presented by applying it to education policies, to optimize citizen participation. According to this philosopher, the fallibility of all human beings invites us to mourn the loss of definitive knowledge and the monopoly of holding the keys to good governance. This brand-new epistemological approach is dominated by an ethic that promotes an equal right to participation in public affairs, because every opinion counts. Citizens have the right and responsibility to express their consent or dissent before decisions are made that could affect their lives. This book is aimed at developers, thinkers and practitioners, especially those who advocate citizen participation, NGOs, development partners in southern countries and academics.