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Power and Agency

Power is everywhere in transformation-focused evaluation — in who commissions it, who defines the questions, whose knowledge counts as evidence, and what happens with the findings. Yet it is rarely named. Posts here examine how power shapes design, implementation and evaluation at every level, from global governance to local participation. They also ask the harder question: can evaluation be a genuine force for agency and empowerment, and if so, under what conditions?
03
Oct
We Have to Rethink Human Rights, Part 1

We Have to Rethink Human Rights, Part 1

What if ‘universal human rights’ are not actually universal, but a cleverly packaged Western export that has sometimes done more harm than good? This post challenges conventional thinking and argues for embracing multiple frameworks to strengthen human dignity worldwide.
4 min read
15
May
Evaluation's Journey towards the Future, Part 4. It has always been political

Evaluation's Journey towards the Future, Part 4. It has always been political

Evaluation has never been neutral. Throughout history, the act of assessing has served as both instrument of control and catalyst for justice. This post examines how power, politics and ideology have always shaped what gets evaluated, by whom, and for what purpose.
4 min read
03
Apr
“What went wrong with woke?” The problem of measurement and influence.

“What went wrong with woke?” The problem of measurement and influence.

How twisted narratives and simplistic measures can destroy a major effort to do good. This post examines what the backlash against ESG and ‘woke’ culture reveals about the dangers of poor measurement, ideological capture, and evaluation’s role in defending evidence-based progress
4 min read
01
Sep
The Power(lessness) of Evaluation: The case of Afghanistan

The Power(lessness) of Evaluation: The case of Afghanistan

More than 60 evaluation reports over 13 years by the Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction (SIGAR): a perfect example of evaluation’s power, and its powerlessness. The damage done — hundreds of thousands of lives and trillions of dollars — when evaluation evidence is ignored.
8 min read
11
Apr
Mission-oriented Evaluation

Mission-oriented Evaluation

We need Mission Thinking, Moonshot Thinking, and Mission-Oriented Evaluation if we are to ensure evaluation is fit for purpose for
6 min read
28
Jul
Economists, Aid and RCTs

Economists, Aid and RCTs

"Aid projects might yield satisfying micro-results, but they generally do little to change the systems that produce the problems
5 min read
03
Sep
Lives of Equal Value

Lives of Equal Value

Back to blogging after a hiatus of three months during which I travelled too frequently for work assignments. Pressurised schedules
4 min read
25
Mar

AWSEM! A framework for empowering women scientists

In one of my recent posts I wrote about the pervasive influence of power on development, and the imperative to
5 min read
21
Mar
Seven lessons for the SDG era

Seven lessons for the SDG era

Evaluation is entering an exciting period - one that will challenge us all to think in new ways and to
4 min read
16
Mar
The power of power

The power of power

I have come to the conclusion that nearly everything in life is influenced by power. Yet we almost never evaluate
3 min read