UNRISD UNITED NATIONS RESEARCH INSTITUTE FOR SOCIAL DEVELOPMENT What do Buzzwords do for Development Policy? A critical look at “Poverty Reduction”, “Participation” and “Empowerment” Andrea Cornwall Karen Brock prepared for the UNRISD conference on Social Knowledge and International Policy Making: Exploring the Linkages 20–21 April 2004  Geneva, Switzerland This draft document is not for citation or circulation without the prior consent of the author(s)