How to Account for
Context?
Using a Causal Chain
Approach in Social
Accountability
Anuradha Joshi
Institute of Development Studies
GPSA Webinar
18 June 2014
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1. Structure
I.
II.
III.
IV.
V.
VI.
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What is Social Accountability?
Does it work? The Evidence
Outcome Expectations
The issue of Context
Components of Social Accountability
Causal Chains
2. What is the Issue? The Evidence
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We have mixed and incomplete evidence of impact
—incomparable interventions, different impacts
measured, contradictory outcomes
Difficult to make generalizations
Types of evidence vary—RCTs to qualitative studies
Yet, assessments of existing evidence find common
themes
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3. What does the evidence seem to say?
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Information alone is not enough
Collective citizen action is essential
Facilitated interaction is critical
State capacity to respond matters
Combination of carrots and sticks
Multiple accountability pressures work
Questions about time frames of outcomes
Outcomes depend upon context
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4. Expanding the Range of Outcomes
Instrumental
State
Reduced corruption
Responsive public
officials
Institutional
Better policy design
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Good governance
State-society
relationships
Institutional
channels for
interaction
Social
actors
Improved provision
of public goods
Trust
Legitimacy
Construction of
Citizenship
State-building
Empowered citizens
Democratic
Deepening
Inclusive Social
Norms
5. Assumed Links:
Information, Citizen Action and State ResponsePoint
Knowledge gaps
Information
Citizen Action
State
Response
Outcomes
Service Delivery
Governance
Empowerment
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6. Dynamic Links :
Information, Citizen Action, and State ResponsePoint
Knowledge gaps
•Information can
lead directly to
change
•State response can
take the form of
information
disclosure
Information
•Information
catalyzes citizen
action
•Citizen action to
generate information
ACCOUNTABILITY
State
Response
Citizen Action
•Citizens action
triggers state
response
•State responses
shape citizen action
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7. Social Accountability Component Characteristics
State Response
Citizen
Action
Information
Our Content
Approach
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Process
Assumptions
Performance
Compared to standards
Compared to others
Inspirational
Transparency
Generating New
Information
(e.g. Perception data,
monitoring data)
Media campaigns
Literacy/Access
Legitimacy/ credibility of
Information
Demand Information
Generate Information
Monitor performance
Seek accountability
Seek Grievance Redress
Formal bureaucracy
Protests
Political articulation
Formal complaint channels
Litigation
Priorities
Belief in efficacy of
channel
Sense of entitlements
Release Information
Reform Processes
Increase Resources
Demands at higher levels
Investigation/sanctions
Transparency
Reduced corruption
Behaviour change
Formal and informal
channels of reform
demands
Formal and informal
channels of enquiry and
punishment
Legitimacy of grievance
Capacity
Public service
motivations
Reputational concerns
Channels of influencing
higher levels
Threat of sanctions
8. An Illustrative Causal Chain: State Responsiveness
Do I think citizens have legitimate grievances?
Do I hold responsibility for the particular public good?
Am I likely to be officially sanctioned due to citizen action?
Do I care about my reputation?
(If not, possibility of reprisal)
Do I care about the service?
Do I think I can do something about the situation?
(if not, then could lead to helplessness)
Do I have the capacity and resources to take action?
(If not, then could lead to frustration)
Do I need others to contribute in terms of resources/reforms?
Can I motivate others? Are others likely to collaborate?
Do I have access to higher levels?
(Depends upon whether resources, reformists are identifiable within the
system)
Reforms/increased resources
IMPROVED
SERVICES
9. Conclusions
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SA as part of a long term ongoing political engagement by
social actors with the state
SA can have a range of outcomes of interest
Causal chains help highlight the different potential
pathways towards reaching desired outcomes
Causal chains can help develop a theory of change for
interventions, provide a framework for understanding
context and documenting it, enable tweaking as initiatives
unfold and offer a means of assessing impact
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