Pragmatist philosophy and soft systems in an upland Thai catchment

This paper reflects upon an application of soft systems methodology in an upland catchment situation in Thailand in terms of the philosophical underpinnings of approaches to action research. It is argued that a pragmatist philosophy may be more appropriate than the popular emancipatory ethic of critical systems. In the Thai context, patron–client relationships have a fundamental impact on processes of participatory inquiry, and the identification and implementation of collaborative solutions. An adaptation of soft systems methodology has been used to identify mutually beneficial improvements in management between villager, agency and commercial stakeholders. In the Thai situation, it is doubtful to what degree the less powerful village stakeholders wish to ‘emancipate’ themselves out of the institutional protocols of patron–client relationships, as against building further patronage relationships with multiple agency and commercial patrons. Rather than seeking a normative compass through ‘emancipation’ as a universal ethic, perhaps we should look to the creative potential within ourselves, and within our cultures.