This book analyses government relationships with International Financial
Institutions (IFIs) to evaluate the role of citizen participation in formulating
national poverty reduction policies in low income countries. It investigates the
idea of participation from a contrasting perspective in theory and in practice.
Based on in-depth research from a case study of Bangladesh, the first part of
the book explores the rhetoric of participation in development policies while
the second part of the book presents empirical evidence of participation in the
formulation of Bangladesh's PRSP where local level development brokers play an
important role. This topical book argues that participatory policies are not
enough - an overhaul is needed