Applying a Political Economy Perspective to Development
We are a network of experienced development professionals who all take a political economy perspective to development. Our Directors, Principals and Associates have specialist knowledge of particular countries and sectors. They have strong connections to government, the private sector, civil society, media and research organisations. They bring to bear their own long working experience within official agencies, academia and the private sector.
The Policy Practice applies a political economy approach to supporting positive change in developing countries. We undertake strategic and policy work in developing countries, including political economy analysis, programme designs, reviews, and evaluations. We also run a flagship training course on political economy analysis and provide bespoke training for a wide variety of clients.
Thinking and Working Politically on Health Systems Resilience
A new paper by Gareth Williams, The Policy Practice Director, and the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice, reflects on the political economy and governance factors that have affected health systems resilience during COVID-19.
Alina Rocha Menocal joins The Policy Practice
We are delighted to welcome Alina Rocha Menocal to The Policy Practice family as our newest Principal. Originally from Mexico, Alina joins us after a long career at ODI, where she was Principal Research Fellow in the Politics and Governance Programme and where she remains affiliated as a Senior Research Associate. Alina is Director of the global Thinking and Working Community of Practice.
UK Approach to Democracy and Human Rights Review
Laure-Hélène Piron, The Policy Practice Director, is leading a review of the UK aid's approach to democracy and human rights since 2015 on behalf of the UK Independent Commission for Aid Impact.
The review examines the relevance, coherence and effectiveness of UK approach and includes case studies of UK aid for democracy and human rights in Pakistan, Serbia and Tanzania; centrally-managed programmes; a policy review; a literature review; and consultations with citizens affected by UK aid.
Latest Political Economy Analysis in Action online training course launched
We are pleased to announce the launch of our next Political Economy Analysis in Action online training course, starting 5 September till 17 January 2023.
The course is designed to equip participants to identify the challenges arising from political economy features of the contexts in which they work, and to draw well-grounded conclusions for policy, strategy, or programme design and implementation.
If you or your colleagues are interested in participating in this course or a tailored one in the future, please see our course flyer or email training@thepolicypractice.com for further details.
"An exploration of the association between fuel subsidies and fuel riots", World Development
In recent years, dozens of countries have been rocked by riots, often associated with popular demand for fuel. A paper, published today in World Development, by The Policy Practice Director Neil McCulloch (and co-authors Davide Natalini, Noami Hossain and Patricia Justino) uses a new international dataset on fuel riots to explore the effects of fuel prices and price regimes on fuel riots.
Analysis and Program Design: Inclusive Governance and Core State Functions in Somaliland
TPP is assisting the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) design a multi-donor governance programme in Somaliland on inclusive governance, and to consider the need for any complementary support to strengthening core state functions.
TPP Principal Alex Duncan, TPP Associate Mohamed Hersi, and researcher Sahra Hassan undertook fieldwork in Somaliland and Kenya in April 2022. They met key stakeholders in government and donor agencies in Hargeisa and Nairobi. The team will return to Kenya in May to present their initial findings to a core reference group of international donors.
"Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate our Minds", by Susie Alegre, out on 7th April
TPP Associate, Susie Alegre’s book “Freedom to Think: The Long Struggle to Liberate our Minds” out 7th April with Atlantic Books (available to pre-order now) explores the history of the right to freedom of thought and the threats it faces in the digital age.
Thinking Politically About Health Systems Resilience in the Context of COVID-19
On 17 February 2022, Gareth Williams organised a webinar on thinking politically about health systems resilience. The webinar recording is now available.
Blog post Reinvigorating Yemen’s electricity system: Avenues for reform in the midst of war
Yemen’s electricity sector is in a state of crisis. This blog by TPP Director Neil McCulloch outlines how a new approach is needed to fix it with a focus on restoring livelihoods.
This analysis, led by Alex Duncan, and working in close collaboration with the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and other donors, aims to generate feasible programme options for donors to support the development of more inclusive governance and strengthened core state functions in Somaliland.
Laure-Hélène Piron, Niki Palmer and Georgia Plank are assisting the World Bank Political Economy Community of Practice review the application of political economy analysis, and other similar analysis, in contexts of political instability, fragility, conflict and violence. This will contribute to recommendations to deepen the use and uptake of analysis in the Bank.
The team, led by Gareth Williams, will undertake a political economy analysis to help the Nigeria demographic diagnostic and roadmap to answer the question: What are the political, social and cultural barriers, levers and opportunities for the UK government in supporting a demographic transition in Nigeria?
The Policy Practice is a lead provider of training on applied political economy analysis for development practitioners.
Political economy analysis provides a deeper understanding of the contexts in which development happens – whether international, national, sectoral or local. It explores how structural factors, institutions and incentives of the key actors shape the possibilities for change in any given context – and how development partners can influence this.
Our course is designed to equip advisers and programme managers to identify the main political and institutional challenges and opportunities in the contexts in which they work, and to draw well-grounded conclusions for strategy, programme design and approaches to implementation.
We have run our flagship course for development professionals over 45 times since 2008, training over 2,000 professionals. We also offer tailored courses and bespoke advice to organisations that wish to deepen their capacity to undertake political economy analysis or manage their programmes more adaptively. Course participants come from bilateral and multilateral organisations, such as the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, the US Agency for International Development, the Netherlands Foreign Ministry, Irish Aid, the Department for Foreign Affairs and Trade of Australia, the International Monetary Fund, the European Commission, or the United Nations Development Programme. Our clients also include research centres, non-governmental organisations and private companies, such as the Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Save The Children, Saferworld, DAI, Palladium or Chemonics.
Political economy analysis in action online training course
We are pleased to announce that we are running our popular online Political Economy Analysis in Action training course from 5th September 2022 to 17th January 2023.
Participants on our interactive 19-week online course:
- Learn what political economy analysis is and why it matters
- Explore political economy concepts and how to use them
- Interact with leading experts on political economy analysis and thinking and working politically on a weekly basis
- Work through real-life case studies applying political economy tools to development challenges
- Participate in regular webinars with other course participants
- Learn how to ‘think and work politically’ in their own work
- Participants work both independently and in small groups to complete weekly tasks
See our course flyer for further information and to apply, or email training@thepolicypractice.com if you have any questions.