Participatory rural appraisal (PRA) has been hailed as a methodological revolution in people-centred research. Yet, surprisingly, its virtues have more often been asserted than demonstrated. This book presents an independent investigation of the use of the methods, and analyses the extent to which PRA's ambitious claims are borne out in testing field conditions. Aimed at development practitioners in international and bilateral agencies, and in NGOs, as well as at students of development studies, the study emphasises the need for caution in the application of innovative research ideas to the complex realities of the developing world.