Making Macro Social Analysis work for Policy Dialogue: Refining Policy Recommendations

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Making Macro Social Analysis work for Policy
Dialogue Refining Policy Recommendations

• McDonald Benjamin
• Social Development - LAC

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PEOPLE
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SOCIETIES
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INSTITUTIONS

• established law, custom or practice

• formal and informal rules of the game

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livelihoods
60
GINI COEFFICIENTS
LAC
50
Asia
40
Eastern Europe
OECD
30
20
10
0
1
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POWER

• Power is least forceful when it is most visible,
  and met with open force

• You are more powerful when you can set the agenda

• But power is generally most powerful when it is
  hidden

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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORK FOR SOCIAL ANALYSIS

• Institutions determine socioeconomic outcomes

LIVELIHOODS
INSTITUTIONS
POWER
Power shapes institutions
Socioeconomic outcomes drive power
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VALUES

• Can we truly understand other societies?
• Our Weltanschauung depends on our personal and
  social background
• The world is full of mental constructs what is
  development? The American dream? Joining the
  OECD? Who determines what civilization is?
• What is poverty?
• How do we judge others?
• There is no neutral social analysis
• What values do we want to bring to an analysis?

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understanding

• A few essential elements
• Multi-sectoral teams
• History, geography, demography, sociology,
  economics, politics
• Qualitative and quantitative analyses
• Multi-national teams
• In-depth consultations
• Stakeholder analysis
• Respect and humility

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informing

• Gathering information in new (hidden) areas
• Analysing the information identify underlying
  trends, linkages and explanations
• Determining the implications and consequences of
  the phenomena you identify
• Defining audiences for that analysis
• Communicating in different languages and
  different media to those audiences

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Persuading?

• How important is it?
• Whom do you need to talk to about it, how and
  why?
• How does one build coaltions for change?
• How do you get to the tipping point?
• How do we measure success?