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Pragmatic pluralism—An explication

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Abstract

The focus with which the paper is concerned is the process or task of intervention and, more specifically, the exploration of three (overlapping and interacting) questions pertinent to those who would intervene:

  • What is to be done?

  • How shall we decide what to do?

  • What can guide our actions?

In terms of what we will describe as pragmatic pluralism (our response to these questions), we intend this to be read in several different ways and on several different levels. Illustrating the discussion with examples from a number of different case studies, we will talk about pluralism in each of the following features:

  • in the use of specific methods/techniques

  • in the role(s) of the interventionists

  • in the modes of representation employed

  • in the use of different rationalities

  • in the ‘nature’ of the client

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Taket, A., White, L. Pragmatic pluralism—An explication. Systems Practice 9, 571–586 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02169214

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