Theories of ChangeThis is a featured page

Theories of Change can be used as a tool within the Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (PME&L) process to enquire why and how we are engaging in peacebuilding/conflict transformation.

Use, change or add contents
Use, change or add activities
  • Lederach, J. P., et. al. (2007), Reflective Peacebuilding: A Planning, Monitoring, And Learning Toolkit, Notre Dame, IN: The Joan B. Kroc Institute for International Peace Studies, University of Notre Dame and Catholic Relief Service South East Asia Regional Office, pp. 25-36. http://kroc.nd.edu/sites/default/files/reflective_peacebuilding.pdf (last accessed 26/03/2009)
  • Anderson, A. A. (year), The Community Builder’s Approach to Theory of Change. A Practical Guide to Theory Development, New York, NY , The Aspen Institute Roundtable on Community Change, in: http://www.theoryofchange.org/pdf/TOC_fac_guide.pdf. (last accessed: 08/04/2009). This is a guide to help facilitators work with organizations through each stage of the Theory of Change process. It includes tips on how to encourage participation and some common pitfalls and challenges facilitators face. It is intended to provide one format that a facilitator may find helpful. It is not, by any means, the only method ActKnowledge and the Aspen Roundtable use, but it has been tried and tested in our practice. The structure, tips and challenges come from years of field experience. You may notice that some terms are different than those used elsewhere, but the underlying process and concepts are the same.
  • International Network on Strategic Philanthrophy (2003), Theory of Change tool manual, in: http://www.tcfn.efc.be/download.php?d=320, last accessed: 30/03/2009. The Tool allows users to create a framework or model of change, also known as a "theory of change", which maps out how your program or initiative plans on getting from present conditions to your vision of success. It provides a guide for planning, implementing, and evaluating your initiative or effort. Once completed, it provides a picture of how your program or initiative will bring about change in order to accomplish an identified goal.
  • Ilana Shapiro (August 2006), Extending the framework of inquiry: Theories of change in conflict interventions. A response, in: Berghof Research Center for Constructive Conflict Management, Berghof Handbook Dialogue Series, No. 5, (http://www.berghof-handbook.net/uploads/download/dialogue5_shapiro_comm.pdf) This article contends that "Making the theories of change that guide existing conflict interventions more explicit provides an opportunity to extract and build theories that are grounded in practice." The author looks at the relationship of conflict and change and then enquires theories of change at different levels of analysis: changing individuals, relationships and social structures.
  • Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development - Development Assistance Committee (OECD-DAC), Guidance on Evaluating Conflict Prevention and Peacebuilding Activities (Working Draft for Application Period), OECD, 2008, pp. 76-84. <http://www.oecd.org/secure/pdfDocument/0,2834,en_21571361_34047972_39774574_1_1_1_1,00.pdf> (accessed 15 April 2009). This annex to the OECD-DAC guidance describes what theories of change are and gives a number of examples.






Activities to digest the contents

  • Content-processing Activities (CPAs):
  • Tell me about your assumptions. This is an activity that you can use after you have briefly introduced what Theories of Change are. It engages pairs and makes them think about their own work and on what assumptions/theories of change it is built.
Activities for teams to make theories of change for a project or programme explicit

Exploring theories of change for peacebuilding initiatives: Below find a series of activities that facilitate the exploration of theories of change for a planned peacebuilding initiative. The activities can be seen as steps in a process.





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    RESULTS CHAIN Itroducing the plan action by information Figure: Theories of change
    Analysis to action Resource kit: Planning, Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning for peacebuilding initiatives

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