Evaluating Social Programs and Problems: Visions for the New Millennium

The most important work of evaluators in the 21st Century will be to evaluate social programs designed to prevent and ameliorate social problems that threaten the well-being of children, adolescents, substantial portions of the world’s adult populations, and the elderly. This work will inevitably be carried out in a wide range of settings, including schools, communities, and non-profit and for-profit organizations of many shapes and sizes. Drawing upon the knowledge and experience of some of the most well-traveled and well-known evaluators in the world today, the volume incorporates cutting-edge perspectives on: evaluation as a transdiscipline; results-oriented management; empowerment, fourth generation, inclusive, and theory-driven evaluation; cultural competency in evaluation; and frameworks for integrating diverse visions for evaluation. As such, the book will be of value to practicing evaluators, evaluators-in-training, scholars, teachers of evaluation and research methods, and other professionals interested in how to improve social problem-solving efforts in the new millennium.