Research
I have always maintained the importance of a research component to most if not all development activities as a way to improve our knowledge of learning from and ability to improve the practice of our development efforts. To do this I have encouraged and initiated research programes both with an emphasis on practitioners (see the Praxisrogramme sponsored under Intrac) as well as more traditional academic research including grants from the ESRC (see work on indigenous groups in the Peruvian Amazon included in publications list). I have managed research programmes both for INTRAC and Oxfam . Recently I was involved as a core member of an international group which came together to review issues around "Civil Soiciety @ Crossroads", I produced with colleagues papers on a history of civil society in the UK, as well as others on Europe , Ireland , as well as facilitated a special issue of Development in Practice carrying a dozen case studies of civil, society from around the world. I also contributed articles on the enabling environment for civil society in Peru and Bangladesh (EADI Link 1) (EADI Link 2) I am also editor in chief of Development in Practice a journal I helped set up in 1991 and more recently in 2010 I returned to edit the journal .
Examples of Consultancy Research
Global 2014 - Oxfam Novib, Democratic renewal consultancy
East Africa 2014 - OXFAM ACCRA, review future strategic options
South Africa 2014 - AIDC strategic review future resource mobilisation options
Netherlands 2014 - Team Leader Strategic review of Wilde Ganzen , 4 country programme
Global 2013-14 - Strategic Review, Association for the Prevention of Torture Geneva
Global 2011-12 - Joint coordinator Civil society @ cross roads research , workshops, publications ( With Pria India, ICD Uruguay, CDRA South Africa , EASUN Tanzania, PSO Netherlands ).
Bangladesh - 2012 – ongoing. Baseline in Bangladesh of the Dutch Funded MFS II Grant funding to Co-Financing Agencies, designing the methodology for the baseline survey of the CB process and finally an impact assessment in 2014.
Ethiopia 2010-13 - Civil Society Support Programme . Board and OD adviser
ESRC 205-2007 - NGPA funding for research in Peruvian Amazon see publications.