ABSTRACT
This chapter presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book explores the impact of politics on the work of the researcher and evaluator in the broad field of social science. It deals with an examination of definitions of key terminology and then outlines the ways in which politics impinges upon research and evaluation work. It then discusses theoretical aspects of power, including funding; which examines the areas of sponsored or commissioned research, issues around evidence-based policy development and ethics, and discusses the examples of where politics has become involved in research and evaluation, and explores a range of strategies that may be employed by researchers and evaluators to counter political impact. The book explores the dilemmas, issues and contradictions that arise in a range of international contexts, the personal and professional understandings, beliefs and experiences of a broad range of researchers and evaluators are explored.
