The Department of Sociology and Social Work at the College of Arts and Social Sciences recently witnessed the discussion of a master’s thesis by Khalifa bin Abdullah Al-Dhabari, a student majoring in Sociology.

The thesis, entitled “Participatory Action and its Impact on Local Development: A Sociological Field Study Applied to the Governorate of North Al Batinah”, examined the role of participatory practices in enhancing local development within the Sultanate of Oman.

Emerging from the context of Oman’s ongoing developmental paradigm shift, the study explored two interconnected dimensions: participatory action as a social practice with methodological and theoretical foundations, and local development as a national priority, particularly in the current phase of the country’s development strategy.

Adopting a comprehensive social survey methodology, the research targeted participants in the governor’s meetings with youth as part of the local engagement programme. Data was collected from 105 respondents through questionnaires, supplemented by four interviews with administrative officials in North Al Batinah.

The findings highlighted the richness of Omani society in sources of social capital and confirmed a satisfactory level of public engagement in participatory initiatives. However, the study also observed a hierarchical approach in the way local administrations interact with active community members in addressing local and developmental concerns.

Results further revealed the diversity of participation in terms of topics, fields, tools, and methods, with religious values exerting the strongest influence on community engagement, followed by national and social values, while individual motivations ranked last.

The thesis recommends the formulation of a procedural and regulatory guide for community participation to serve as a reference for stakeholders, thereby promoting a more structured and transparent participatory process in local development.

The discussion was conducted before a board comprising Dr. Faisal bin Saif Al-Saidi (Head), Dr. Said Abdali (Supervisor), Dr. Wafa bint Said Al-Mamari (Internal Examiner), and Dr. Khulood Al-Thaqafi (External Examiner).