Social Learning in South–North Coalitions: Constructing Knowledge Systems Across Social Chasms

Focuses on social learning as a process that creates new perspectives and behaviors at the social system level. Looks at how to turn potential organizational discord into a beneficial process of social learning, and explores how differences among members of an interorganizational network can be used to develop new knowledge and improved practice.

Paper is concerned with building knowledge across both the researcher–activist and North–South boundaries. More specifically, it focuses on “social learning”—the emergence of frames and perspectives that can reshape behavior—in networks that include representatives of both researcher–activist and North–South perspectives.

The paper seeks to identify circumstances in which differences among network members can be combined in ways that promote mutual learning. It aims to identify patterns of social interaction and organization that enable diverse stakeholders to generate new knowledge systems

Examines three experiences with networks of Northern and Southern civil society organizations in which the Institute for Development Research, Boston was involved:

• Community Problem-Solving Coalition (1990–94)
• Consortium for Intersectoral Cooperation (1989–95)
• Inter-Regional Support Organization Alliance (1995–97)

. Each network was concerned with generating new knowledge about organizing for grassroots development—knowledge relevant to both theory and practice. Each network involved both researchers and activists

Concludes with a series of hypothoses on what makes networks and knowledge generation work