The Politics and Practice of Empowerment Evaluation and Social Interventions: Lessons from the Atlantic Community Action Program for Children Regional Evaluation

Abstract

Abstract: Empowerment or participatory evaluation has gained significant popularity in the last few years. However, there is considerable variation in the manner in which the terms are used and in the politics that underlie and inform such practices. This article, which reflects upon the authors’ collective experience with the Atlantic Community Action Program for Children (CAPC) regional evaluation, argues for empowerment-oriented evaluation strategies informed by emancipatory politics. In particular, the authors examine the implications an emancipatory ethic has for their understanding of the terms participatory, empowerment, and social change within the context of evaluation research.