Knowledge, learning and development: a post-rationalist approach

McFarlane, C.

doi:10.1191/1464993406ps144oa

Knowledge, learning and development: a post-rationalist approach

McFarlane, C.

Authors

Professor Colin Mcfarlane colin.mcfarlane@durham.ac.uk
Professor

Abstract

The relations between knowledge, learning and development are of growing importance in development, but despite the growth of interest in this area since the mid-1990s, key issues have yet to be explored. This review argues the need to attend to how knowledge and learning are conceived in development and how they are produced through organizations. Drawing on mainstream development literature, the review argues that there is a pervasive rationalist conception of knowledge and knowledge transfer as objective and universal, which has political implications. By contrast, the review argues for a post-rationalist approach that conceives development knowledge and learning as partial, social, produced through practices, and both spatially and materially relational.

Citation

McFarlane, C. (2006). Knowledge, learning and development: a post-rationalist approach. Progress in Development Studies, 6(4), 287-305. https://doi.org/10.1191/1464993406ps144oa

Journal Article Type	Article
Publication Date	2006-10
Deposit Date	Oct 14, 2008
Publicly Available Date	Aug 7, 2009
Journal	Progress in Development Studies
Print ISSN	1464-9934
Electronic ISSN	1477-027X
Publisher	SAGE Publications
Peer Reviewed	Peer Reviewed
Volume	6
Issue	4
Pages	287-305
DOI	https://doi.org/10.1191/1464993406ps144oa
Keywords	Rationalism, Post-rationalism, World Bank, Slum/Shack dwellers international.

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Copyright Statement
McFarlane, C. (2006) 'Knowledge, learning and development : a post-rationalist approach.', Progress in development studies., 6 (4). pp. 287-305. Copyright © 2006 by SAGE Publications. Reprinted by permission of SAGE Publications.