LIST OF PANELS

In the past two decades, monitoring and evaluation (M&E) have risen by leaps and bounds across the global south. Active Voluntary Organizations for Professional Evaluation (VOPEs), evaluation specialists, and global, regional, and national evaluation networks have exploded. Culturally relevant evaluation criteria have been established, and postgraduate education and training in evaluation have been bolstered across the global south. Efforts to build country-owned national monitoring and evaluation systems and parliamentarian fora are gaining traction as demand from governments and local to regional organizations increases (Ofir, 2021). 

Despite these impactful efforts, considerable obstacles persist, and research is needed to understand better the mechanisms of institutionalization of M&E in the global south. This panel will examine the progress of the institutionalization of M&E in the global south from various perspectives. It will describe prior developments and the state of M&E, focusing on the political, social, and professional systems (Stockmann, 2016; Meyer et al., 2020). The overall goal is to provide a truly global south portrait of evaluation and provide cross-country learning to understand better the institutionalization of M&E in different countries across the global south. The purpose of the panel is to describe M&E systems and to explain these developments regarding possible driving forces and consequences. The panel attempts to provide the most up-to-date theorizing about how to practice evaluation and to present evaluation's extensive knowledge base within a global south context. 

References:
 
Ofir, Z. (2021). Evaluation in Transition: The Promise and Challenge of South-South Development Cooperation. Canadian Journal of Program Evaluation.
 
Meyer, Wolfgang/Stockmann, Reinhard/Taube, Lena (2020): The Institutionalisation of Evaluation: Theoretical Background, Analytical Concept and Methods. In: Stockmann, Reinhard/Meyer, Wolfgang/Taube, Lena (Hg.) (2020): The Institutionalization of Evaluation in Europe. London: Palgrave/Macmillan, S. 3-34.
 
Stockmann, R. / Meyer, W. [Ed.] (2016): The Future of Evaluation. Global Trends, New Challenges, Shared Perspectives. Basingstoke Hampshire: Palgrave Macmillan.
 
 

The desired outcome of the panel is the production of an edited volume. To this end, original contributions are encouraged from diverse disciplines (e.g., psychology, sociology, economics, political science, education, and public policy) and methodologies. The panel welcomes research from across the humanities and social sciences—from the perspective of social and political theorists, psychologists, philosophers, and cultural theorists, as well as from researchers in public policy. Theoretical and/or empirical contributions with a comparative and regional perspective are equally encouraged. Papers can focus on a single country case or propose cross-country analyses.

Papers should include three dimensions: social system, political system, and the system of professionalization (Stockmann, 2016; Meyer et al., 2020). Papers should include the following:

Abstract
Introduction
Section 1: Country/region overview
- Political, social and economic
- Historical development of M&E
Section 2: Institutional Structures and Processes (Political System)
- National laws, regulations and policies

- Parliamentarian and national audit structures

- Organizational structure
- M&E practice by Government and Civil Society: Systems, tools, and budgets allocated to M&E
- Use of Evaluations
Section 3: Societal Dissemination/Acceptance (Social System)
- Institutionalised Use of Evaluations by Civil Society

- Public discourse

- Participation of civil society
- Public Perception of Evaluation
- Demand for evaluations
Section 4: Professionalisation (System of Professionalisation)
- Academic education and training practices

- Journals and communication platforms
- Professional organizations
- Transnational Organisations and Networks
- Equity and gender considerations
- Climate and sustainability considerations

- Existence of and compliance to standards
Section 5: Future of M&E
 

Please send an abstract of 500–800 words, including name, affiliation, biographical sketch, and email address.

The authors of the accepted abstracts will be invited to submit final papers of approximately 10,000-12,000 words.