Is Inciting Social Change Something Evaluators Can Do? Should Do?

This volume set out to consider what must occur for evaluators and evaluation to incite social justice-oriented change in the communities where there is a need. It takes an affirmative posture and, in each chapter, builds a case for engaging in social change. In a variety of contexts, exploration of the social consciousness of evaluators and the larger evaluation profession, has led to the encouraging possibility that promoting oppositional consciousness could more reliably lead to the desired change. However, some argue that moving evaluation in this direction is a mistake and goes too far. This chapter examines the cases that have been made for greater evaluator involvement in inciting social change and presents a rational for the who, what, where, and when of evaluator engagement in inciting social change. The chapter concludes with the expected value to society of this change in evaluator posture.