Around the Institute

Complexity & Chaos

January 25, 2013

Last Chance to RSVP for our Upcoming Breakfast!

Our next advocacy evaluation breakfast is scheduled for Wednesday, Jan. 30th, from 8:15 to 9:45AM.  Alex Toma will be here to talk about The Connect U.S. Fund’s nine years of experience building, nurturing and funding advocacy coalitions.  We’ll focus on lessons learned, so come ready to pose questions, share anecdotes, and offer suggestions.  And don’t forget: if you want to hang out with us (or with our pastries), make sure to RSVP here by close of business on Monday. 

That’s Just Chaotic

Hace unos días descubrimos el blog del evaluador y sociólogo latinoamericano Pablo Rodriguez-Bilella maravillosamente titulado Al borde del caos: Desarrollo, evaluación, complejidad.  En su último mensaje, Pablo nos comenta sobre su traducción al español de un libro escrito por la investigadora neozelandesa Jane Davidson.  Evaluaciones de situaciones complejas y caóticas—y el conocimiento necesario para completarlas—se producen por todo el mundo.  (Pssst…es decir, no sólo en Washington.) ¿Haríamos bien en recordarlo, no?  For help translating, click here!

Complexity…What’s all the Fuss About?

The Center for Global Development’s Owen Barder has been discussing for several months now how complexity theory is relevant to international development. In fact, CGD will be hosting an event on this topic in early February to underscore the particular policy implications of this kind of thinking.  Advocacy evaluators know all too well about the challenges of complexity.  We applaud Barder’s (and Pablo Rodriguez-Bilella’s) efforts to change the old paradigm about development.  

Corrections Department

We included a link to the estimable JustPhilanthropy blog written by Steven Mayer last week and inadvertently misspelled his name: our thanks to Steven for his gentle correction.