The Contextuality of Evaluation Practice in Global South - A China Story

Abstract Information: This proposal aims at exploring the contextuality of evaluation practices in social programs funded by local governments in the Global South. We will focus on the storytelling of China, which has a unique and significant impact on other regions within the Global South. Our research will examine how the concept of evaluation and its activities are understood and interpreted within the mainland region of China. We will use the ideas of critical reflection and reflexivity from the literature on social work and anthropology to guide our research design. Based on our experiences and social networks, we have collected and analyzed several Chinese stories related but not limited to stakeholder perceptions of indicators, the meanings of evaluation judgments, and how a mainstream understanding of evaluation practice formed while alternative perspectives were marginalized. We will use abductive logic to synthesize the themes generated from these stories with AEA's Guiding Principles and Evaluator Competencies for providing implications.
Our proposal expects to offer a unique perspective on how the sociocultural and geopolitical context of the Global South, especially in the Chinese mainland, can shape the professional development of evaluation practices. We will also discuss the possibilities for moving beyond the constraints. The target audience is therefore the academics, practitioners, and policymakers involved in evaluation practices in China and the Global South.

Keywords: Contextuality, Reflexivity, Evaluation Practice, Global South, China

Relevance Statement: According to the guides of AEA, evaluation practice is essential to be tailored to the context in which they are being implemented. This is particularly important in the Global South, where social programs are often funded by local governments and where the sociocultural and geopolitical context can impact the interpretation and understanding of evaluation activities. Understanding these contextual factors is key to developing effective evaluation practices that can contribute to better social programs and outcomes.

China is an important case study in understanding the contextuality of evaluation practices in the Global South. With a population of around 1.4 billion people and the second-largest economic power in the world, China has become a major player in the international development arena, with a significant impact on other regions within the Global South like the Belt and Road Initiative. Moreover, the Chinese context is unique in terms of its distinct culture and political system that shapes the interpretation and understanding of evaluation activities.

To explore these issues, this proposal is focused on the storytelling in the mainland region of China. Storytelling is an essential aspect of evaluation and can provide insights into how evaluation practices are understood and interpreted within a given context. By examining Chinese stories such as stakeholder perceptions of indicators, the meanings of evaluation judgments, and how a mainstream understanding of evaluation practice formed while alternative perspectives were marginalized, we aim to gain a deeper understanding of how evaluation practices are shaped by the sociocultural and geopolitical context in the Chinese mainland.

In order to guide our research design, we draw on the ideas of critical reflection and reflexivity from the literature on social work and anthropology. Critical reflection involves examining one's assumptions and biases, while reflexivity involves acknowledging and reflecting on one's positionality within a given context. By using these ideas, we aim to ensure that our research is sensitive to the sociocultural and place-based context in which it is being conducted and that we are mindful of our own biases and assumptions.

Our analysis strategy is based on abductive logic to synthesize the themes generated from Chinese stories with AEA's Guiding Principles and Evaluator Competencies. This would provide important implications on how evaluation practices can be adapted to better respond the context in which they are being implemented.

Overall, this proposal would contribute to a deeper understanding of how the sociocultural and geopolitical context of the Chinese mainland, one of the regions of the Global South, can shape the professional development of evaluation practices. By exploring the Chinese storytelling, we aim to provide a unique perspective on how evaluation practices can be constrained by the context in which they are being implemented and the possibility of change. The target audience for our proposal is therefore the academics, practitioners, and policymakers involved in evaluation practices in China and the Global South, who would benefit from a deeper understanding of the contextuality of evaluation practices and how the dynamics between evaluation practices and local contexts can be transformed for betterment.