Equity Reexamined: A Study of Community-Based Rainwater Harvesting in Rajasthan, India

Equity is central to community-based develOpIllent efforts, but community perspectives, on equity are seldom examined in the development literature. This study investigate,, how equity in it rainwater harvesting program is understood, and practiced in two Rajasthani communities. Drawing on Bourdieu's concept of symbolic capital, we find that the symbolic capital accrued from contributing to the project is as central to community understandings of equity as the distribution of benefits from the project. We find that a Continuing sense Of Community despite heterogeneity is itself a form of symbolic capital. Community-based valuations of equity thus enable it more Catholic approach to Costs, and benefits that broadens our knowledge both of equity, and or development. (C) 2008 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved