ABSTRACT
This chapter focuses on a multinational mining company's approach to land access in an Andean region of northern Peru. It examines the function of development practice within the context of a proposed company-managed land acquisition and resettlement. The chapter explores the implementation process of a corporate community development (CCD) intervention during the preparations phase, and gain insight into how various engaged actors–land-owning households, non-governmental organisations (NGO) staff and company personnel–understood and employed community development work in practice. It suggests that by essentially forcing an empowerment approach upon households, the mining company and by extension the NGO practitioners, were reinforcing a paternalist notion that they "know best". The chapter examines the importance of community development practitioners and researchers to approach their practice reflexively and consider these challenges when working in complex and uncertain terrains. It argues that in order to make a meaningful impact and to contribute to community development practice and research, CCD interventions must address the issue of "legacy".
