Co-construction of social reality: ICA’s strategic planning with Native Americans for community development

 
 
 
 

Co-construction of social reality: ICA’s strategic planning with Native Americans for community development

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Title: Co-construction of social reality: ICA’s strategic planning with Native Americans for community development
Author: Tian, Xiaoping
Description: The objective of this study is to investigate the contextual characteristics of co-constructing reality, on which the strategic changes could be planned and implemented in the community development. The method of participant observation was used to investigate the Institute of Cultural Affairs’ (ICA) participatory strategic planning processes in community development with three Native American tribes.Data was collected from interviews with ICA members using an appreciative inquiry to articulate the highest held values of ICA in its community living, and its work in strategic planning. Interviews conducted with Native Americans focussed on their viewpoints on integrated community economic development. The result of the study indicates that ICA’s self-governance of its living community is in congruence with its intervention strategies. Central to ICA’s interventions are the participatory planning processes and management education as well as their intention to make the intervention skills available for Native Americans to learn and use. ICA has been successful because they use the methods in the first instance in their own community life; and secondly, because they adhere to a philosophy of communal learning.Furthermore, the congruences exist in the organizational culture of ICA and Native Americans’ culture made it possible for the construction of the common reality in community planning processes.This study has theoretical and practical implications in the community development, especially for those who work in different cultures. A discussion on the process of co-construction of reality suggests that we need to re-examine an emerging moment for reciprocal receptivity to influence and be influenced, thus allow the relational knowledge to be created. It is in this process, the co-construction of reality occurs. Practitioners attempting to bring about changes to communities should consider interventions on the basis of co-constructing common grounds, so that community members can take the ownership of the project, and the development could be sustainable.
Permanent Link: http://rave.ohiolink.edu/etdc/view?acc_num=case1056551268
http://hdl.handle.net/2374.OX/16914
Date: 1992

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