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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