Around the Institute

Peacebuilding, “Superman” and Metrics

October 22, 2010

Evaluating Peacebuilding and Promoting Learning
Measuring program effectiveness has not been a standard practice in the peacebuilding community. Last month, the Search for Common Ground (SFCG) hosted a forum to offer insight into capacity building for conflict transformation programs, particularly for Design, Monitoring and Evaluation. For more resources, see SFCG’s evaluation manual.

Schools Hit the Big Screen: Influencing the Public Mindset
Three 2010 films, Waiting for “Superman,” The Lottery, and Teached, all are poised to generate conversation and action about U.S. public education reform. Hosted by the Stanford Social Innovation Review, their filmmakers speak out about how audiences can become a part of the solution in their own communities and through the media.

Metrics Matter! Well, at least they should
The Stimson Center’s blog, the Will and the Wallet, recently posted on the need to measure and evaluate security assistance. Because of its unique positioning at the intersection of foreign and defense policy, jurisdiction over security assistance has fallen through the cracks. How then, do we respond to questions such as: when do we provide assistance, was that assistance sustainable and effective, etc.?