ABSTRACT
Few human rights organisations, development non-governmental organisations (NGOs), or intergovernmental organisations (IGOs) work with an explicit theory or theories of change. The same can be said for many bilateral and multilateral donors. It is much more common for agencies to have an implicit, partially formed theory of change. Eyben et al. (2008: 202–3) place an ‘archetypes framework’ in this category – change is implicitly thought to come about through some taken-for-granted conventional wisdom (enlightened elites, people in the streets, a good example, a shock to the system, etc.). The objective of this introductory chapter, and of this volume, is to explore what might be gained by bringing to light these implicit, partially formed theories of change. Arguably, the potential advantage of rendering a theory of change explicit is that it provides a vantage point from which all aspects of organisational activity can be viewed, coordinated and, if necessary, reformed. Important components of practice, such as the design of interventions and their evaluation, can be aligned with the chosen theory or theories of change.
