The Politics of Evaluation

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Ressource 1Download: Preprint_Mavrot & Pattyn 2022_Handbook on the Politics of Public Administration.pdf (332.75 [Ko])
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Serval ID
serval:BIB_3D0A5641501B
Type
A part of a book
Collection
Publications
Institution
Title
The Politics of Evaluation
Title of the book
Ladner Andreas, Sager Fritz (Eds.), Handbook on the Politics of Public Administration.
Author(s)
Mavrot Céline, Pattyn Valérie
Publisher
Edward Elgar
Address of publication
Cheltenham
Publication state
Published
Issued date
01/11/2022
Chapter
22
Pages
243-254
Language
english
Abstract
This chapter focuses on the evaluation of public policy and administration. Institutionalized for decades in many places worldwide, policy evaluation has become a routinized and professionalized activity. However, assessing the performance of public agencies and the impact of the policies they implement is a highly political endeavor. As part of the executive branch and directly subordinate to governments, public agencies can be scrutinized and evaluated as an extension of political struggles. On the other hand, public agencies also use evaluation to advance their own objectives. This chapter examines the issues attached to the evaluation of public policies and administrative activity in relation to power games within and across the branches of government. It reveals how politicians and public servants can make strategic use of policy evaluations, as well as how this instrument serves not only reflexive and oversight purposes, but also agenda-setting ambitions. The chapter then presents an overview of the controlling, defensive and proactive functions of evaluation in policy struggles. Drawing upon these developments, the chapter underlines just how far from neutral evaluations can be in the politico-administrative game.
Create date
16/08/2021 20:13
Last modification date
03/11/2022 8:09
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