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.
Governance in a new development paradigm: Reformer leadership and partnership humility
This Working Paper, written by TPP Principal Wilfred Mwamba, calls for a major shift in how international actors support governance. It shows reforms only endure when domestic reformers lead, urging partners to drop “performance theatre” and back genuine, locally led, politically grounded change.
Reducing violence against defenders of the Amazon: a political economy approach
This Working Paper by TPP Principal Niki Palmer explores why environmental defenders in Brazil’s Amazon face persistent violence. It shows how powerful economic interests and competing ideas about the Amazon fuel conflict and impunity. It outlines three realistic pathways to strengthen protections, shift incentives toward conservation and reduce violence.
New guidance on context analysis
In collaboration with the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice, and the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, TPP Director Laure-Hélène Piron has prepared a guidance note setting out options for context analysis (political economy analysis, conflict analysis, institutional reviews, etc). It provides advice to make sure the analysis is politically informed and influential with decision makers.
A new narrative for climate action in a radically changed world - Part 3
In Part 3: Arguments for international climate action, TPP Director Neil McCulloch shows how this new approach would change international cooperation on climate action.
A new narrative for climate action in a radically changed world - Part 2
In Part 2 of TPP Director Neil McCulloch’s blog, he considers what a new narrative for climate action must look like to be politically successful.
A new narrative for climate action in a radically changed world - Part 1
As COP30 gets going in Brazil, TPP Director Neil McCulloch argues that we need a completely new narrative around climate action. His blog is in three parts. Today, he explains what is wrong with the current narrative. Tomorrow, he argues for a new approach. On Friday, he will show how this new approach would change international cooperation on climate action.
Beyond Tactics: the case for Strategic Thinking and Working Politically
USAID veteran David Jacobstein summarizes his new paper A personal reflection on Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) at USAID. He argues that TWP is gaining ground, but losing focus. An increasing pursuit of tactical TWP makes programmes smarter in the short run, but what is also called for is strategic TWP that ensures development efforts contribute to deeper transformations in power, institutions, and resilience.
Political Economy Analysis in Action online training course now launched
We’re pleased to announce our next Political Economy Analysis in Action online course, running from 2 February to 11 June 2026. The course helps participants understand how political economy factors shape their work and develop practical strategies for effective policy and programmes.
To learn more or enquire about tailored options, please see our course flyer or contact training@thepolicypractice.com.
New Policy Brief - Thinking and Working Politically at USAID
This publication reflects on how political economy approaches spread across USAID, and what this means for the wider development community following the agency’s closure in 2025. It highlights success factors such as peer-driven learning, integration with existing frameworks, and linking to reform agendas. The author urges Thinking and Working Politically (TWP) champions to embrace complexity, use TWP strategically (rather than just tactically), and rethink accountability through partnership.
The Kenya Tax Administration project (TAP) strengthens tax administration reform through digital transformation and organisational change. TPP Principal Olly Owen leads ongoing PEA, analysing political dynamics and stakeholder incentives to guide adaptive delivery, risk management, and strategic engagement across workstreams
The Policy Practice and the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice are hosting a three-part webinar series on the Political Economy of the Energy Transition in the Global South. Topics include country platforms, carbon pricing, and gender.
TPP Director Laure-Hélène Piron and TPP Principal Wilfred Mwamba are helping the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office organise an informal dialogue to re-imagine a less donor-centric governance sector. Wilfred is preparing a provocative think piece from a Global South perspective while Laure-Hélène will facilitate the 1.5 day event.
TPP Principal Samantha Wade and TPP Director Neil McCulloch are working with the Ocean Energy Pathway to support two of its country teams — in the Philippines and Brazil — with a strategy refresh grounded in political economy analysis.
TPP Director Laure-Hélène Piron and TPP Principal and Training Coordinator Samantha Wade delivered an hybrid workshop on political economy analysis to the Gates Foundation Global Health Agencies and Funds team.
This assignment, led by TPP Associate Sam Gibson and funded by FCDO, supports governance diagnostics in Niger and Mali. Sam Gibson will co-design and facilitate workshops, analyse political and regional dynamics, and produce capture notes to guide future UK engagement.
The Policy Practice will deliver a online Political Economy Analysis workshop for Research Ireland’s Sustainable Development Goals Challenge teams. Led by TPP Director Neil McCulloch and TPP Principal Samantha Wade, the interactive training will equip up to 24 researchers with tools to design politically smart research interventions to tackle hunger.
TPP Principal Wilfred Mwamba is supporting the British Embassy Manila to analyse post-election shifts in political alliances and power dynamics in the Philippines. The team will map key networks, assess influence and reform prospects, and co-develop an updated political analysis and engagement strategy to help advance UK priorities in the Philippines.
TPP Directors Neil McCulloch and Laure-Hélène Piron are evaluating ENERGIA, an international network championing women as change agents in the energy transition, with case studies in Kenya and Senegal, and a political economy review of ENERGIA's policy influencing.
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 The Elders, Nigerian Institute of Social and Economic Research, Save The Children, Saferworld, DAI, Palladium or Chemonics.
We are also running our online course on the Political Economy for Climate Action over a six week period in May and June 2026.
Political economy analysis in action online training course
We will be running the next Political Economy Analysis in Action online training course in February 2026. If you would like further information on this course, please see our flyer here.
Participants on this interactive 17-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
We will also be running our Political Economy Analysis for Climate Action in May and June 2026. If you would like further information on this, please see our course flyer, or email training@thepolicypractice.com if you have any questions.