Generating inhabit-ability: five principles for policy and project management practice

Abstract

An exciting product of a ten year study, commended for its originality and innovation, is a set of five practical principles, to assist in policy directions for enhanced community development and project management. The principles are derived from an imbrication of contemporary sociological theory and were applied in four discrete community development contexts in Australia to test their relevance and suitability as a framework to plan, guide and evaluate community development interventions. It was found that the principles can make practitioners' work clearer; identify gaps to address the multiplicity of often overlapping social concerns, and flag implications for future research and practice. One of these implications is the generation of 'inhabit-ability', a state of being which allows a particular place to be better inhabited, following an intervention. The concept offers the potential to move beyond a common cynicism evoked by the word 'sustainable' because of a perceived sense of dilution of the concept. The principles are a set of five short statements. Simple and elegant, the principles are: • Adopt a gender sensitive approach. • Value voices from the margins. • Incorporate the environment within research/actions. • Select appropriate method/ologies. • Undertake research/action that promotes plural, desirable and sustainable social changes. The principles are transferrable across a range of contexts, and have particular relevance to policy and planning for people working in the ecological/economic development fields. Project managers, Indigenous Elders, social entrepreneurs, local politicians, public servants, social workers, teachers, doctors, community activists, and other cultural leaders, have engaged with the principles at various levels and stages of their projects. This poster will describe the principles, and give examples of how to use them in the field, as well as invite comment and feedback from EcoSummit participants.