Routledge Evaluation Cultures: Sense-Making in Complex Times: 19 (Comparative Policy Evaluation)

Evaluation Cultures draws upon a sample of reflections, drawn from organizational practices, nationally centered political cultures, and ethnic cultures, as a framework for understanding how culture influences the work of evaluation. Two main conclusions seem to emerge: first, that there exists no single, uniform, and homogenous national evaluation culture; second, that the idea of a unified transnational culture of evaluation is an illusion.The evaluation community includes a diverse group of professionals; a diversity that is not just represented in national or ethnic culture but also in academic backgrounds, public and private sector allegiances, and personal character. The contributors to this book represent, in part, this diversity by reflecting a range of views.Evaluation Cultures draws upon the experience of senior evaluation practitioners, who share their reflections on their practice and experience, in order to put forth challenges to purely academic analysis. Evaluation Cultures presents a consistent, if not exhaustive, attempt to give analytical and empirical sense to all of the cultures of the evaluation community. Review -[T]he essays in this book explore how culture affects the evaluation of political and social programs in a variety of states and settings. It draws upon both academic and public service evaluation professionals, whose diverse views mirror the absence of any uniform national evaluation culture. Overall the work has a strong academic tone and can be recommended for professionals in the field.- --Book News "[T]he essays in this book explore how culture affects the evaluation of political and social programs in a variety of states and settings. It draws upon both academic and public service evaluation professionals, whose diverse views mirror the absence of any uniform national evaluation culture. Overall the work has a strong academic tone and can be recommended for professionals in the field." --Book News "[T]he essays in this book explore how culture affects the evaluation of political and social programs in a variety of states and settings. It draws upon both academic and public service evaluation professionals, whose diverse views mirror the absence of any uniform national evaluation culture. Overall the work has a strong academic tone and can be recommended for professionals in the field." --Book News About the Author <strong>Jean-Claude Barbier</strong> is research director for the French National Centre for Scientific Research at the University of Paris 1. His main research focuses are employment policies, social policy, and evaluation of public policies.<br><br> <strong>Penny Hawkins</strong> is senior evaluation officer at the Rockefeller Foundation. She previously served as head of evaluation for the International Development Group of the New Zealand Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade.