Understanding Evaluation in the Social Sector: Two Reflexive Metaevaluation Case Studies Inspired by Pierre Bourdieu

Abstract

The study covers evaluation in the social sector with special reference to the European Union and its member states. The analysis is a non-technical metaevaluation based on Pierre Bourdieu's sociological concepts. The first of the two cases concerns the EU open method of coordination (OMC) in employment and social-protection policies, and the second is on international evaluation standards. In practice, evaluation hardly conforms to the ideal types and is deeply embedded in its structural and temporal contexts. Acknowledgement of this is crucial in the pursuance of better evaluation research and practice.