A clear distinction can be made between the way developed and developing countries approach physical recovery: in the developed world we seek material solutions, while in the developing world the best proven solutions are primarily social mechanisms. Community participation in the construction process, through social organization and democratic operational action, lends itself to physical and economic recovery. This participatory strategy begins to shape a social infrastructure that continues in a community long after the agencies, architects, and non-profits have moved out. This unequivocal collaborative action is accompanied by a no less resolute turn toward a state of independence and self-sufficiency in the acquisition and retention of resources needed to transcend societal and political conditions of disparity.
Using project examples from India, Mali, and Austin Texas, the presentation will define a methodology of participation that is applicable across diverse cultures and communities.