THINKING TOGETHER ABOUT PARTICIPATORY EVALUATION

DOSSIER # 3

A few months ago, we publicly presented Dossier # 2, Thinking Together about Participatory Evaluation, with the aim of compiling and showcasing the various contributions generated by our community of practice and learning. This publication brought together brief case studies, concrete experiences, and reflective articles that highlight the richness, diversity, and complexity of participatory evaluation practices in Latin America and the Caribbean, while also welcoming contributions from colleagues in other global contexts.

The compilation of these texts in the Dossier format has facilitated their dissemination, providing broader access to a significant body of reflections that illustrate the current vitality of participatory evaluation in the region. In this same spirit, Dossier # 3 continues along this path, reaffirming our commitment to incorporating a multiplicity of voices and experiences. We also hope that this material will serve as a resource for consultation and debate within public institutions, foundations, civil society organizations, and emerging evaluators, as well as a valuable pedagogical tool in graduate programs focused on training evaluators with a participatory perspective.

This Dossier is structured around four main thematic sections. The first, Public Policy and Civil Society, presents contributions that explore experiences and reflections on the involvement of social actors in public policy evaluation processes. The second section, Conceptual Perspectives, brings together works that interweave epistemological, historical, and contextual dimensions, revealing both the diversity and, at times, the tensions among different theoretical approaches. The third section, Meaningful Learnings, highlights participatory evaluation practices and experiences, placing particular emphasis on the lessons learned through fieldwork. Finally, the fourth section, Operational Approaches and Tools, offers a space for critical reflection on the potential and limitations of concrete instruments designed to foster active engagement of stakeholders within evaluation processes.

Thanks again to the authors of the articles collected in this issue, namely: Larry K. Bremner, Andrea Meneses, Tulio Barrios Bulling, Ricardo Cristi López, Ana Rojas Viñales, Marina Apgar, Emma Rotondo, Maria Luisa Graffigna, Silva Ferretti, Osvaldo Néstor Feinstein, Maria José Garcia Oramas, Raquel Luján Soto, Linda Raftree, Patrick Okwen, Nange Lisette, Leonel Ayafor, Ann Marie Castleman, Sara Vaca, Andrea Peroni Fiscarelli, Joaquín Navas, Ricardo Ramírez, Mariana López-Fernández, Esteban Tapella. We would also like to acknowledge María Clara Graffigna and Ana Clara Bustelo, who did the graphic design and illustration of this work.

We encourage you to get to know the contributions of these colleagues as well as those that we will continue to add in the EvalParticipativa platform and through our social networks.

Greetings from the EvalParticipativa coordinating team!