'An intoxicating cocktail of thought and practice, people and things, Chambers pokes and provokes us to reflect on the hubris and hypocrisy with which the "development profession" is stuffed. I shall mine this book - like a rich, nutty fruit cake - to help me understand the messy, iterative world of which we're part.' Camilla Toulmin, Director, International Institute for Environment and Development, London 'May development scholars and practitioners use Chambers' Provocations to put the post-World War II era of the "paradigm of things" to rest once and for all ... and to give space for his better way forward. This book is a gift to development scholars and practitioners. Read it, reread it, maybe even read parts aloud, and ponder.' Robin Broad, Professor, American University, Washington, and co-author of Development Redefined: How the Market Met its Match 'A smorgasbord of delightful provocations: Robert Chambers at his best - irreverent, sharp and illuminating!' Gita Sen, Professor, Centre for Public Policy, Indian Institute of Management, India 'Prepare to be provoked! This book is serious fun, and should be read, skimmed or otherwise engaged with by anyone with an interest in making a positive difference to international development work.' David Lewis, Professor of Social Policy and Development, London School of Economics & Political Science, UK 'This book is vintage Chambers: definitely provocative but also insightful, incisive, funny, and deeply ethical - common sense for a world where it's in very short supply and more badly needed than ever.' Ian Smillie, author of Blood on the Stone: Greed, Corruption and War in the Global Diamond Trade 'Development studies as a field of inquiry and prescription has become becalmed in recent years, stuck in its own truisms and assumptions. Sadly, few people seem to have noticed. For 40 years, Robert Chambers has been challenging complacency and simply-plausible thinking that lacks empirical justification or ethical rigour. His writings are always worth reading and absorbing, especially when he challenges orthodoxy of all sorts. Even if one doesn't always agree with all of his provocations, they should all be considered seriously. I hope that this book will put some strong wind and better direction into the 'sails' of development studies.' Norman Uphoff, Professor of Government and International Agriculture, Cornell University