Bridging Power Asymmetries in Facilitating Public Participation

Participatory approaches to community development and environmental management frequently cause facilitators to encounter dilemmas related to the structure and choice of methods. Because participation does not occur in power vacuum but rather as embedded social and power structures which potentially interfere, these dilemmas underscore the importance of better facilitation structures and techniques to mediate the complexity of disagreements. This paper will review the literature on selecting and applying facilitation methods in Asia, focused on South and Southeast Asia. The analysis includes critical elements for involving marginalized communities in participatory approaches.