Twinning “Practices of Change” With “Theory of Change”
Room for Emergence in Advocacy Evaluation
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 12471906 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Bodille Arensman (0000-0003-3381-9525, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands, corresponding author), Cornelie van Waegeningh (University of Humanistic Studies, Utrecht, The Netherlands), Margit Van Wessel (0000-0002-3611-5817, Wageningen University & Research, Wageningen, The Netherlands) |
| Year | 2017 |
| Volume | 39 |
| Issue | 2 |
| Pages | 221-236 |
| Publication date | 2017-09-01 |
| Peer Reviewed | Yes |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | American Journal of Evaluation (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1098-2140 • E-ISSN: 1557-0878 |
| Publisher | SAGE Publishing (PUBLISHER • US) |
| DOI | 10.1177/1098214017727364 |
| PMID | 30886515 |
| OpenAlex | W2753183152 |
| Language | EN |
| Citations received | 8 |
| References cited | 27 |
Theory of change (ToC) is currently the approach for the evaluation and planning of international development programs. This approach is considered especially suitable for complex interventions. We question this assumption and argue that ToC's focus on cause-effect logic and intended outcomes does not do justice to the recursive nature of complex interventions such as advocacy. Supported by our work as evaluators, and specifically our case study of an advocacy program on child rights, we illustrate how advocacy evolves through recursive interactions, with outcomes that are emergent rather than predictable. We propose putting "practices of change" at the center by emphasizing human interactions, using the analytical lenses of strategies as practice and recursiveness. This provides room for emergent outcomes and implies a different use of ToC. In this article, we make a clear distinction between theoretical reality models and the real world of practices
Economics · Epistemology · Focus (optics · Logic model · Management science · Political science · Program evaluation · Psychological intervention · Social science · Sociology · Theory of change · Work (physics · Computer Science · Educational Assessment and Improvement · Evaluation and Performance Assessment · Psychology · Public Administration · Public Policy and Administration Research
Government and civil society organizations
Equity-related ‘knots’ in theory of change development
Transforming a world that never stands still
Thinking with theory as a policy evaluation tool
Understanding the what, how, and why in advocacy
Narrative Assessment
From top-down to locally led
Theory of Change in Multi-country Advocacy Programmes
The Aid Chain
Development Sociology
Theorizing Practice and Practicing Theory
Strategy-as-Practice
Theory‐based evaluation
Utilization-focused evaluation
Ethnography in/of the World System
A Systematic Review of Theory-Driven Evaluation Practice From 1990 to 2009
Evidence, Understanding and Complexity
Using Programme Theory to Evaluate Complicated and Complex Aspects of Interventions
Constructing Theories of Change
Research–Practice Partnerships in Education
Strategy as Practice
Between logframes and theory of change
Recursive Governance
Effective Advocacy Evaluation
A Model for Multilevel Advocacy Evaluation
Strategy as Practice
Effective social justice advocacy
| Unique citing works | 8 |
|---|---|
| Citations per year | 1 |
| Citation span | 2018 - 2025 (8) |
| Citation velocity | recent |
| Highly cited | No |
| Citation types | Neutral: 8 |