NGO tools: advocacy and research for policy change
Etablissement : ESPOL European School of Political and Social Sciences
Langue : Anglais
Formation(s) dans laquelle/lesquelles le cours apparait :
Période : S1
THis course is designed to make students:
– Gain a clear understanding of what NGOs are and how they operate within the political, economic, and social domains.
– Explore the role of advocacy and research as essential tools in influencing decision-makers when shaping policies.
– Develop the ability to connect theoretical knowledge with real-world practices of NGOs in policy change.
– Critically assess the strengths and weaknesses of NGOs, including issues of legitimacy, accountability, and impact.
The course will cover
• Introduction to NGOs: definitions, history, rationale, organizational structures, and sectors of intervention.
• Advocacy Tools: knowledge products (e.g. policy analysis, policy papers, policy briefs, reports), communication strategies (e.g. campaigns, fundraising), direct engagement with decision makers (e.g. lobbying), civil society mobilization (e.g. petitions, public events) etc.
• Research design: analyzing case studies as concrete examples of NGOs’ role in promoting policy change.
• Research methods: quantitative methods (e.g. surveys), qualitative methods (e.g. in-depth semi-structured interviews), mixed methods.
• Critical Perspectives: examining limitations, power dynamics, and challenges faced by NGOs in international and local contexts, including neocolonial tendencies, accountability gaps, legitimacy issues, competition and fragmentation, donor dependence, bureaucratization.
