An ethnographic study of rural development: state, NGO and farmer relationship in post-conflict Cambodia

2021 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 18K12590
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Early-Career Scientists
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Review Section: Basic Section 04030:Cultural anthropology and folklore-related
• Research Institution: Meiji University (2019-2021); University of Tsukuba (2018)
• Principal Investigator: Akiho Sayaka 明治大学, 研究・知財戦略機構(駿河台), 研究推進員 (40797164)
• Project Period (FY): 2018-04-01 – 2022-03-31
• Keywords: 農民 / NGO / 支援 / 農村開発 / カンボジア / 参加型開発 / 国家 / 自律

Outline of Final Research Achievements

This study focuses on a participatory rural development project implemented by a Khmer NGO after the civil war, which is regarded as a "success case" both domestically and internationally. In this study, the interactions between NGOs and farmers created in the project process and the resulting restructuring of the relationship were explored. The results showed that participatory development projects led some farmers to resist and disengage from NGOs because of their acceptance of foreign participatory ideals and their search for autonomy from NGOs. On the other hand, other farmers desired to continue the traditionally dominant patron-client relationship with NGOs. It was found that a variety of ways of dealing with development regarding autonomy and dependence on NGOs were created.

Free Research Field

文化人類学（開発人類学）

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

本研究は、開発支援の領域における支援者と被支援者の二者関係に着目して議論されることが多かった先行研究群に対し、開発以外の領域横断的な相互行為と「開発支援ならざるもの」も含みこんだ言説と実践が織りなす場として開発を捉え直した点において学術的意義があると言える。
また、80年代以降国際開発の領域において広く普及した参加型理念がいかに現地社会に受容され、意図せぬ結果を引き起こしたのかを詳らかにしたうえで、その要因を明らかにした点において社会的意義があると言える。