Understanding power asymmetry in participatory development spaces: Insights from Ghana's Decent Work Programme

Participatory modes of local economic development are laudable policy aspirations, but are often difficult to cultivate in practice. Thus, attempts by international bodies, such as the International Labour Organization (ILO), to institutionalize participatory development in localities of the Global South have often faced serious implementation challenges. Key to this is the issue of power asymmetry. This study uses Giddens’ notion of duality of structure and draws upon a qualitative case study research of the Ghana Decent Work Programme (GWDP) implemented in Ajumako Enyan Essiam to deepen the understanding of the nature of asymmetric power relations among actors within a participatory development space. The key finding is the dynamic nature of asymmetric power relations. The ensuing asymmetric power relations manifest in the negotiations and contestations that contribute to shaping the trajectory of the participatory development space. The study, therefore, challenges the static notions of asymmetric power relations within participatory development spaces by revealing their fluid properties.