How to Account for Context? Using a Causal Chain Approach in Social Accountability Anuradha Joshi

1. How to Account for Context? Using a Causal Chain Approach in Social Accountability Anuradha Joshi Institute of Development Studies GPSA Webinar 18 June 2014

2. 1. Structure • What is Social Accountability? • Does it work? The Evidence • Outcome Expectations • The issue of Context • Components of Social Accountability • Causal Chains

3. 2. What is the Issue? The Evidence • 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

4. 3. What does the evidence seem to say? • 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

5. 4. Expanding the Range of Outcomes State-society relationships Social actors State Institutional channels for interaction Reduced corruption Improved provision of public goods Instrumental Responsive public officials Better policy design Trust Construction of Citizenship Empowered citizens Legitimacy State-building Democratic Deepening Institutional Good governance Inclusive Social Norms

6. 5. Assumed Links:Information, Citizen Action and State ResponsePoint: Knowledge gaps State Response Information Citizen Action Outcomes Service Delivery Governance Empowerment

7. 6. Dynamic Links :Information, Citizen Action, and State ResponsePoint: Knowledge gaps • Information catalyzes citizen action • Citizen action to generate information • Information can lead directly to change • State response can take the form of information disclosure Information ACCOUNTABILITY State Response Citizen Action • Citizens action triggers state response • State responses shape citizen action

8. 7. Social Accountability Component Characteristics Our Approach Information Citizen Action State Response

9. 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

10. 9. Conclusions • 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