Theories of Change in Rural Policy Evaluation

Damian Maye; Gareth Enticott; Rhiannon Naylor

doi:10.1111/soru.12269

journal article Oct 02, 2019

Theories of Change in Rural Policy Evaluation

Damian Maye

Gareth Enticott

Rhiannon Naylor

Sociologia Ruralis Vol. 60 No. 1 pp. 198-221 · Wiley

View at Publisher Save 10.1111/soru.12269

Abstract

AbstractRural policy evaluation helps to understand the extent to which policies have met pre‐defined objectives, achieve value for money and learn from implementation failures. However, there is increasing debate over the quality of policy evaluation and the extent to which its methods can fully contribute to an understanding of rural policy. Responding to these calls, this article employs a theory driven approach to policy evaluation to assess the social impacts of attempts to reduce animal disease on farms in England. Popular in other policy arenas, theory driven evaluation relies on developing a theory of change to examine the interactions between policy contexts and mechanisms and policy outcomes and determine what works for whom. Drawing on longitudinal qualitative and quantitative research, the article identifies two mechanisms of change to evaluate the Badger Vaccine Deployment Project (BVDP) in England to reduce incidence of bovine Tuberculosis (bTB) in cattle. The article shows how these mechanisms – ‘seeing is believing’ and ‘practice similarity’ – are triggered by different contextual factors leading to the failure to deliver expected policy outcomes. We also consider the advantages and limitations to theory based evaluation, and the contribution it can make to the evaluation of other rural development programmes.

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Metrics

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Citations

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References

Details

Published: Oct 02, 2019
Vol/Issue: 60(1)
Pages: 198-221
License: View

Authors

D

Damian Maye

Professor of Agri‐Food Studies, Countryside and Community Research Institute University of Gloucestershire Swindon Road Cheltenham Gloucestershire GL50 4AZ UK

G

Gareth Enticott

Reader in Human Geography Cardiff School of Planning and Geography Cardiff University Cardiff UK

R

Rhiannon Naylor

Senior Lecturer in Rural Land Use and Management Royal Agricultural University Cirencester UK

Cite This Article

Damian Maye, Gareth Enticott, Rhiannon Naylor (2019). Theories of Change in Rural Policy Evaluation. Sociologia Ruralis, 60(1), 198-221. https://doi.org/10.1111/soru.12269

Theories of Change in Rural Policy Evaluation

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