La ToC è la teoria del cambiamento. Ma che cos’è il cambiamento?

Since the Theory of Change became a widespread tool, both in programs and in evaluation, evaluators have been more concerned about what a theory looks like rather than about the nature of change. Change can take place in different ways: either according to planned directions or in unexpected, even surprising, ways. This article proposes to take a different perspective: beyond an evaluation demand for the explanation/verification of the intended work- ing of a program it is suggested to demand how change can happen, possibly even in a surprising way, that might challenge rigid hypotheses and models. To this purpose, it suggests to grasp the elaboration of “possibilism”, origi- nated by Colorni, theorized by Hirschman and practiced by Tendler. Such an approach may suit those evaluators who advocate that evaluation challenge a ToC’s assumptions, and that new hypotheses, based on the experience of an intervention implementation, be developed in an iterative way.

Parole chiave:Theory of change; Change, explanation; Understanding; Possi- bilism; Unintended consequences.

Nicoletta Stame, La ToC è la teoria del cambiamento. Ma che cos’è il cambiamento? in "RIV Rassegna Italiana di Valutazione" 87/2023, pp 130-150, DOI: 10.3280/RIV2023-087008