The Systems Work of Social Change offers a set of relevant principles, practices and examples for how to work differently towards social change goals. However, it falls somewhat short of in terms of connecting this to broader systems change efforts.
A review of “Patching Development” by Rajesh Veeraraghavan, with a comparison between state and civil society led accountability efforts for implementation of the rural employment program in India.
My review of How to Steal a City, a glimpse into systemic corruption in South Africa, and the lessons it suggests for accountability efforts more broadly.
My review of Samuel Moyn’s book Not Enough: Human Rights in an Unequal World. I find Moyn’s historical analysis useful, and it points to important lessons for those interested in addressing inequality, as well as to the tensions around human rights approaches to this issue.
Since I seem incapable of writing blogs these days, I thought I would go back to basics. Read a book, write a review. Here’s hoping this helps me get back in the habit of blogging more regularly. In the book Out of the Wreckage: A New Politics for an Age of Crisis, author George Monbiot…
I recently reviewed the book The Politics of Inclusive Development for the Journal of Development Studies (final version is here). I thought it was a really compelling set of conceptual and empirical explorations, and I highly recommend it. If the review piques your interest you can find the free PDF version of the book here.…
In their introductory essay to the recent IDS Bulletin on Opening Governance (the entire issue is open access), Duncan Edwards and Rosie McGee critically appraise developments in the open government/governance space over the past several years, since the landmark 2010 review commissioned by the Transparency and Accountability Initiative. The authors reflect on recent debates and…
Last month attended the launch of a new book entitled “Beyond Governments: Making Collective Governance Work – Lessons from the Extractive Industries Transparency Initiative” written by the heads of the EITI secretariat, who have been involved in the initiative since its inception a decade ago. The book launch featured a panel discussion with the authors and…
The World Bank has been hosting a series of events over the past several months looking at the concept of the ‘Feedback Loop’. The feedback loop can be understood in simple terms as citizens expressing their priorities and/or grievances, and governments listening (and presumably responding). There are some people in the governance field (including myself), who…
Last night I watched the Oscar-nominated documentary “The Square” chronicling 3 tumultuous years of citizen mobilization in Egypt, centering around the now-famous Tahrir square. The movie vividly depicted the struggles and sacrifices made by thousands of ordinary citizens as they toppled a long-standing dictator, an unaccountable military government, and a narrowly elected president from an…
Tools and musings from an evaluation enthusiast
Professor of Politics and Public Policy, University of Stirling
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Activists and Scholars Debate Social Movements and Social Change
critical reflections on how we measure and assess civic tech
Forum for thinking and action in international development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Ruminations on systemic economic and social change
Worthy of respect in a democratic society
Musings on the politics of governance and development
Politics, Governance and Development 