The Social Mobilization Approach: A Participatory Model for Local Resource Mobilization

The paper introduces the Social Mobilization Approach (SMA). The argument that forms the basis for this approach is that solidarity created by micropolitical associations such as ethnicity, religion, class, culture, and gender is a form of social capital that can be used to mobilize local resources for development. This solidarity can be transformed into tangible, local-level resources which take a variety of forms including community participation, local ownership, local natural resources, and in a limited number of cases, financial resources. The paper uses a series of case studies taken from USAID experience to highlight areas in which the concepts suggested by the approach were used. The SMA framework is designed as an analytical tool for mid- to junior-level development practitioners from donor organizations and PVO/NGO/IOs.