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Week 5: Thinking like a Political Scientist: Theory of Change Part 1

Class Held In Person.  Note the seminar will take place THURSDAY OCTOBER 12 to make up for our observing Thanks Giving on Monday

Learning Objectives

Objective 6:  Avoid busy work in K2A initiatives by using a strong analysis of the current power dynamics to develop a theory of change that specifies how you predict implementation of the evidence will be achieved, and why.

Field Guide Tool on which we focus: Ganz et al.'s tool to turn the Power Analysis into a Theory of Change.

Readings

Kershaw, Paul, Eric Swanson and Andrea Stucchi.  2016.  “A surgical intervention for the body politic: Generation Squeeze applies the Advocacy Coalition Framework to social determinants of health knowledge translationLinks to an external site..”  Canadian Journal of Public Health.  108(2):e199–e204

Oliver, Kathryn and Paul Cairney. 2019. “The dos and don’ts of influencing policy: a systematic review of advice to academics.” Palgrave Communications 5:21: https://doi.org/10.1057 /s41599-019-0232-y

Still building on Ganz, Marshall, et al. "Organizing: People, Power & Change. Participant Guide." Dogwood Initiative, Stonehouse Institute, Desmog Canada, Leading Change Network.  Pages 36-59, with a particular focus on 36-50.

Lesson Plan

Class Slides

  • Students come prepared to discuss readings:
    • Key questions:
      • What are the various ways in which the Oliver and Cairney article motivates Population/Public Health Scholars to "Think like a political scientist"? 
      • The Kershaw et al. article emphasizes that leaders often respond to those who organize and show up.  The authors identify five activities that may be interpreted as examples of "organizing and showing up."  What are they?
      • Other key points of interest/questions from students
  • I do:  PK describes proposal for a federal council on Generational Fairness Links to an external site.; shares theories of change re (i) how to attract Liberal government to implement it; and (ii) how that advances broader theory of change to achieve Gen Squeeze quest for a Canada that works for all generations.
  • We do:  Let's return to the student petition and letter campaign that contributed to suspending the process for selecting a candidate for the SPPH faculty position in Indigenous data sovereignty. Let’s reverse engineer their approach.  What was their implied theory of change?  What might have been some other theories of change they could have followed?
  • You do: Assignment 2.  Develop a Theory of Change, Part 1 – Brainstorm ToC options: In your same groups of 3 as for Assignment 1, using the same change initiative you selected for Assignment 1, create three different theories of change. Present (next week) these three ToCs. Each ToC should clearly indicate the constituency it is targeting for the IF statement, the change sought by those with the power to act on the evidence in the THEN statement, followed by the rationale for why the IF/THEN statement might work in the BECAUSE statement.  End your presentation with a concluding slide or two that reviews the pros and cons of each ToC, along with any questions you may have about ToC may be best for your K2A change initiative. Presentation should be no more than 10 minutes. 10% of total Grade.  Marked by PK.