ABSTRACT
The introduction to this book contends that, because there are many different views of what partnership is or should be, it is necessary to explore how it is understood and applied in context. As partnership is increasingly promoted as central to the transformation necessary for achieving more inclusive and sustainable development, it is further argued that more critical consideration of its ends and means is justified. A brief description of each of the book’s chapters and key themes is provided, including an exploration of different interpretations of partnership and an inquiry into contemporary understandings of the term; attributes of transformational partnership and the nature of the transformative participation processes that exemplify this; the evolving partnership landscape, and connections between partnership, sustainability and citizenship. In order to refresh standard views of partnership and its potential for transformation, particular emphasis is placed on the need for balancing pragmatic and instrumental dimensions of partnership with more reflective facets that emphasise its intrinsic worth and relational connections.
