What is 'Made in Africa' evaluation (MAE)? It is not what most people think. In order to move forward, it is time to come to some common understanding that can inspire and guide us into the future. Let us take it step by step. Special Stream Statement, Niamey
Whatever methods and frameworks we use, we tend to rely on the scientific, the 'objective' data and evidence; we have been socialized to view it as the most reliable and honest evidence. We privilege this knowledge over other forms of knowledge, and so privilege the producers of scientific
"Aid projects might yield satisfying micro-results, but they generally do little to change the systems that produce the problems in the first place." On 16 July 2018 fifteen prominent economists, including three Nobel winners, wrote in the Guardian that - my summary - the aid system is broken because
In my previous post I started to make the case for the evaluation of transformative change and transformative development in a way that recognises the differences between what we call the Global South and Global North, and that then shapes our practice accordingly - including our evaluation questions and criteria. Viewing
Now that the concept of "developing" and "developed" countries is at last unfashionable, is a special focus on "development evaluation" still useful? Is the less emotive, more palatable Global South / Global North terminology more appropriate, and what does this mean for how and what
I do not do "development evaluation". I do not practice the evaluation OF development. I evaluate FOR development. There is a difference. These days we are told that the need for the special category called "development evaluation" has receded because all countries are actually "developing&
Back to blogging after a hiatus of three months during which I travelled too frequently for work assignments. Pressurised schedules do not support writing, but I am hoping to change this over the next month on the road from Beijing to Nairobi to Cape Town to Maastricht. There is much
I have come to the conclusion that nearly everything in life is influenced by power. Yet we almost never evaluate for it. It is difficult to be powerless and happy. The type and extent of the power we want will differ from person to person, depending on our circumstances and
