Join researchers and academics to celebrate the work of renowned development scholar Professor Robert Chambers in a series of events and workshops running from 26 to 28 April. Now a research associate at IDS, Robert is well-known for his pioneering participatory research methods, and his influential participatory workshops.
The events and workshops will explore the legacy of Robert’s work – from past, present and future – and how he has influenced countless people from students, policymakers, activists, NGOs and governments officials. All the events will be open to all, whether watching online or attending in person (limited number). See below for the full list.
- Tuesday 26 April from 12:45: Inclusive Rigour: Learning for adaption
- Wednesday 27 April from 12:30: Revolutionising and Recasting Development – Building forward from the work of Robert Chambers
- Thursday 28 April from 12 noon: Exploring the contribution of participatory methods to decolonising development.
Robert’s work
Robert’s work remains as relevant as ever, and indeed offers vital insights into themes and challenges that have become even more significant in recent years. These include shifts in the politics of knowledge, truth and trust in a world of deep uncertainties and digitalised information; intensifying complexities as climate, environmental, health and economic shocks and stresses unfold across the world, and heightened inequities and forms of marginalisation in fractured societies and fragile democracies.
Even now, Robert’s current concerns and interests include professionalism, power, the personal dimension in development, participatory methodologies, epistemology, poverty, stunting, teaching and learning with large numbers, and work on sanitation and hygiene with the Sanitation Learning Hub.
Revolutionising Development: Reflections on the Work of Robert Chambers
The key event of the week will be the re-launch of Revolutionizing Development: Reflections on the Work of Robert Chambers which is now fully open access and features a new foreword by IDS Director Melissa Leach.
This special event will look at the book and discuss its implications. In a forward-looking spirit, the editors and many of the original contributors will reflect on the current relevance of Robert’s contributions in their particular area, and how this needs to be built on for the future.
Testimonials
If you have worked with Robert or his work has influenced what you do, we’d love to hear from you. Your input can either be up to 200 words (if written) or if you’d prefer to record a short video* (up to 2 mins). Please get in touch with Gary Edwards if you wish to do a testimonial.
These testimonials will go on the Participatory Methods website.
*Please note, we have limited capacity to edit videos so these will be on a first-come first-served basis.
Discount on Robert’s books
Practical Action publishing are offering a 35% discount on paperback or ebook copies of Robert’s books listed on this link. The code to use is CHAMBERS22.
Some of his key works which you can get a discount on are:
- Into the Unknown: Explorations in Development Practice
- Whose Reality Counts? Putting the First Last
- Can We Know Better?: Reflections for Development
- Who Counts? The Power of Participatory Statistics
- Provocations for Development
Between the Lines podcast
During the week, will be releasing our latest episode of the IDS podcast Between the Lines which will feature Andrea Cornwall and Ian Scoones (editors of the book Revolutionizing Development) interview Robert about his work.