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Second Call for Papers



Please help distribute this announcement to all interested individuals 
and organizations.


              ***** SECOND CALL FOR PAPERS *****


      Heuristic Tools for Understanding and Working with
         Local Knowledge, Creativity and Communication


A working session of the "International Conference on Creativity and 
Innovation at the Grassroots" (Ahmedabad, India), January 11-14, 1997.


The future of successfully linking formal and informal agricultural 
development processes (knowledge, innovation and communication) will 
depend largely upon the articulation of clear theoretical frameworks, 
capable of guiding practice, and the institutionalization of viable 
approaches. In response, this session will focus on identifying new 
opportunities for strengthening the ability of farmers, researchers 
and extension workers to engage in productive and complimentary 
partnerships. The session will bring together lessons from recent 
field experiences and different approaches to meeting key 
methodological and institutional challenges that face development 
practicitioners. Contributions are sought on different Conceptual 
Frameworks and Operational Approaches in:

Understanding What Farmers Know:
    * understanding the structure and dynamics of local knowledge 
      systems;
    * understanding and bridging different world views and linguistic 
      constructions;
    * understanding and working with the social differentiation of 
      local knowledge and individual differences in perspectives, 
      experiences and expertise;
    * exploring the strengths and weaknesses of different ways of 
      representing local knowledge

Engaging 'Farmer Creativity:'
    * providing 'windows of opportunity' for engaging farmer 
      curiosity and creativity;
    * working with the logic, patterns and processes of farmers' own 
      experimentation;
    * building initiatives around and strengthening local learning 
      processes;
    * designing technologies that allow for continued innovation and 
      creative adaptation

Broadening the Spread:
    * understanding the motivations, pathways and processes of 
      exchange;
    * approaches in utilizing and strengthening existing 
      communication channels;
    * approaches in matching different types of messages with 
      different mediums;
    * creating and supporting new exchange networks


Individuals and organizations interested in contributing to this 
session should contact:
    Dr. Brent M. Simpson, Institute of Social Studies, P.O. Box 
    29776, 2502 LT The Hague, The Netherlands (tel. +31 70 426 0524; 
    fax +31 70 426 0799; email simpson@iss.nl); or,

    Dr. Astad R. Pastakia, SRISTI, C/O Anil Gupta, Centre for 
    Management in Agriculture, Indian Institute of Management, 
    Ahmedabad 380 015, India (fax +91 79 6427896; email  
    honeybee@iimahd.ernet.in). 
    
For additional information on the conference, please contact 
Prof. Anil Gupta, Centre for Management in Agriculture, Indian 
Institute of Management, Ahmedabad 380 015, India (fax +91 79 
6427896; email anilg@iimahd.ernet.in).

Important Deadlines:
    -Paper proposals (two copies) should be submitted to Dr. B.M. 
     Simpson by July 28th.
    -Full papers will be due Oct. 31st.
    
    ***********************************************************
    
*********************************
Dr. Brent M. Simpson
Institute of Social Studies
PO Box 29776
2502LT The Hague, The Netherlands

email simpson@iss.nl
Tel. (31) 70 4 260 460
Fax  (31) 70 4 260 799