Work

Can Evaluation Policies Survive Democratic Erosion? Safeguarding Independence in International Organizations

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: ABSTRACT International organizations' (IOs) evaluation policies face unprecedented threats from post‐truth dynamics—delegitimization of expertise, nationalist framing against multilateralism, authoritarian overconfidence, and anti‐scientific sentiment. Despite institutional convergence on independence safeguards, methodological standards, and normative frameworks, comparative analysis reveals distinct vulnerabilities to contemporary political pressures. Drawing on behavioral mechanisms of framing, illusion of control, and motivated reasoning, this commentary maps five potential systemic risks affecting evaluation policies even when formal institutions remain intact. Safeguarding strategies require multilevel coordination: transnational professional standards embedding peer accountability, institutional reforms protecting independence through deliberative techniques, and alternative evaluation capacities operating outside potentially captured systems.

Source: New Directions for Evaluation

DOI: 10.1002/ev.70025

Author: Mita Marra

Institution: University of Naples Federico II

Language: English

Topic: Evaluation and Performance Assessment

Subfield: Management Science and Operations Research

Field: Decision Sciences

Domain: Social Sciences

SDG: Peace, justice, and strong institutions

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,140