Democratic Evaluation & Democracy - Exploring the reality

Creative Consulting & Development Works is proud to launch our Learning & Networking circle this May. Join us for a lively discussion and chance to network with like-minded evaluation professionals, and some great cheese and wine pairings!.

This month, our guest speaker Donna Podems will deliver a lecture on her new book, Democratic Evaluation & Democracy - Exploring the reality and do a book signing.

Stand a chance to win a signed copy of Donna’s new book.

Limited spaces available so secure your spot today!

About the book:
Democratic evaluation brings a way of thinking about evaluation’s role in society and in particular, its role in strengthening social justice. Yet the reality of applying it, and what happens when it is applied particularly outside the West, is unclear. Set in South Africa, a newly formed democracy in Southern Africa, the book affords an in-depth journey that immerses a reader into the realities of evaluation and its relation to democracy. The book starts with the broader introductory chapters that set the scene for more detailed ones which bring thorough insights into national government, local government, and civil societies’ experience of evaluation, democratic evaluation and their understanding of how it contributes to strengthening democracy (or not). A teaching case, the book concludes by providing guiding questions that encourage reflection, discussion and learning that ultimately aims to inform practice and theory.

About Donna:
Donna Podems brings 20 years of experience working with governments, civil society, nongovernmental groups, international donors, and foundations to conduct monitoring, evaluation, strategic planning and training. She holds a doctorate in interdisciplinary studies focused on Programme Evaluation and Organizational Development, and a Masters degree in Public Administration.

She has lived and/or worked in the United States, Botswana, Burma, Cameroon, Egypt, Ghana, Jordan, Kenya, Lesotho, Madagascar, Namibia, Nigeria, Republic of South Africa, Senegal, Somaliland, Swaziland, Uganda, Zambia, Zimbabwe, Bosnia, Guatemala, Panama, Peru, Belize, Nicaragua, India, Indonesia, Myanmar, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Thailand, USA, and Vietnam.

She conducts her work across a range of technical areas including agriculture, HIV/AIDS, TB, health systems, youth interventions, education, human rights, environment, orphans and vulnerable children, community needs, and women’s empowerment.

Her research focus is on evaluator competencies, process use, and feminist evaluation. Dr. Podems is a current Board Member for the American Evaluation Association (AEA), past Board Member for the South African Monitoring and Evaluation Association (SAMEA), and past Chairperson for the AEA's International Committee and the Feminist Evaluation TIG. She is a member of AEA, IDEAs, and SAMEA.