Reciprocal legitimation of research and international development

• In Event: 1523 - Practice Symposium Roundtables
  In Informal Discussion Roundtable: Table 3: Sociology and International Development

Abstract

Companies based in the U.S. and other Western countries often serve as hubs of knowledge and expertise for conducting evaluations of international development projects that are implemented in the Global South. Researchers tasked with conducting external assessments and evaluations are expected to design instruments that objectively measure (preferably in quantifiable terms) the success of a given project. What is often not acknowledged by practitioners, however, is the reciprocal legitimation of evaluations and international development projects. International donors, development agencies, and evaluators all have a clear, vested interest, to validate each other’s work. Moreover, there is little recognition of the transnational division of labor when it comes to producing knowledge about “the under-developed Global South,” which further perpetuates inequalities. How can sociologists in the research and evaluation industry address this issue? My presentation will critically address these questions and reflect on potential guidelines to be incorporated in the work of researchers with their clients and data collection partners.

Author

• Aisalkyn J. Botoeva, American Institutes for Research