Numerous opportunities have come and gone over the past 20 years of democracy in South Africa for the State to engage with Civil Society and bring development closer to its intended beneficiaries. Civil Society, through its advocacy initiatives, has secured for itself a great-er voice and choice in development, and every role player therein should continuously endeavour to make a difference by participating actively and meaningfully in development. Authentic, sustainable grassroots transformation and development, however, is not possible without public participation, social learning, self-reliance and empowerment.

Development, the State and Civil Society in South Africa addresses the practical reality of the development consultant, government and public sector change agent, politician and policy maker. Departing from a humanist and people-centred perspective, it captures the fundamentals upon which most development theory, policy, programmes/projects and practices are based, namely cooperation, participatory planning and public participation.

The book follows a holistic, multidisciplinary approach to assessing development management principles and strategies. Important challenges in development management and related practice and policy interventions are also functionally integrated.

Contents include the following:

• Development theories, management and the democratic developmental State
• Promoting people-centred development and good governance
• The role of developmental non-governmental organisations
• The private sector and social responsibility
• The role of trade unions and international development agencies
• Micro-level development and public participation
• Integrated Development Planning (IDP)
• Social development research

Chapter review questions test knowledge and understanding of issues discussed, and encourage critical examination from different perspectives. The final chapter provides guidelines for writing scientific documents and using basic social research methodology – essential skills for all researchers and practitioners in development management.

Despite best intentions, the reality is that "development" is still conceptualised, planned and "delivered" by change agents and their institutions in a top-down manner. This is problematic for both the beneficiaries and government change agents as it amplifies rather than lessens service delivery challenges and does not lead to a grassroots planning partnership. Development, change and the change agent - facilitation at grassroots contextualises the change agent through his or her relationship with the local beneficiaries of development. This updated second edition, previously titled The development change agent - a micro-level approach to development, consists of thirteen chapters contributed by seventeen authors representing nine universities. The key theme is the challenge to establish authentic and empowering participation, and the importance of change agent and local development beneficiary engagement and partnerships in achieving this. It covers an interdisciplinary field of development-related foci using a holistic, people-centred approach which includes grassroots facilitation, capacity building, empowerment and participation, developmental local government and good governance, and national development planning. It also incorporates social capital, indigenous knowledge systems, action research methodology and project management. Scholars, development practitioners, development consultants, those working for NGOs and CBOs, development corporations/agencies, and politicians and government officials, specifically local ones, will find the publication relevant in confronting contemporary developmental challenges. Francois Theron is a senior lecturer at the School of Public Leadership at Stellenbosch University. Trained in anthropology and development studies, he fully supports interdisciplinary research. In 2014, he co-edited Development, the State and Civil Society in South Africa (Van Schaik Publishers) with Ismail Davids. Ntuthuko Mchunu is a project manager for community-based tourism development at the City of Cape Town municipality. In addition to his public and development management qualifications at Stellenbosch University, he has extensive practical experience in the local government sphere as a change agent. Theron and Mchunu have partnered in numerous previous projects, leading to this 2016 publication.

Participatory development in South Africa: a development management perspective, follows a holistic, multidisciplinary approach in assessing development management principles and strategies in South Africa. The authors represent a broad teaching, research and management background, which allows them to functionally integrate some of the most important challenges in development management and related practice and policy interventions in this title. The work therefore captures the fundamental basis upon which most development projects and practices are based, namely cooperation, collaboration and public participation.