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All That Glitters Is Not Gold: The Political Economy of Randomised Evaluations in Development

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  • Florent BEDECARRATS
  • Isabelle GUERIN
  • François ROUBAUD

Abstract

Randomised Control Trials (RCTs) have a narrow scope, restricted to basic intervention schemes. Experimental designs also display specific biases and political uses when implemented in the real world. Despite these limitations, the method has been advertised as the gold standard to evaluate development policies. This paper takes a political economy angle to explore this paradox. It argues that the success of RCTs is driven mainly by a new scientific business model based on a mix of simplicity and mathematical rigour, media and donor appeal, and academic and financial returns. This in turn meets current interests and preferences in the academic world and the donor community.

Suggested Citation

  • Florent BEDECARRATS & Isabelle GUERIN & François ROUBAUD, 2017. "All That Glitters Is Not Gold: The Political Economy of Randomised Evaluations in Development," Working Paper 753120cd-506f-4c5f-80ed-7, Agence française de développement.
    • Handle: RePEc:avg:wpaper:en899
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    3. Kabeer, Naila, 2020. "Women's Empowerment and Economic Development: A Feminist Critique of Storytelling Practices in "Randomista" Economics: a feminist critique of storytelling practices in “randomista” economics," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 104600, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.
    4. Kapur, Devesh, 2020. "Poverty, power and RCTs," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    5. Florent Bédécarrats & Isabelle Guérin & Solène Morvant-Roux & François Roubaud, 2018. "Verifying the internal validity of a flagship RCT: A review of Crépon, Devoto, Duflo and Pariente (American Economic Journal: Applied Economics, 2015)," Working Papers DT/2018/09, DIAL (Développement, Institutions et Mondialisation).
    6. Vikram Tyagi & Sophie Webber, 2021. "A rusting gold standard: Failures in an Indonesian RCT, and the implications for poverty reduction," Environment and Planning A, , vol. 53(5), pages 992-1011, August.
    7. Gugerty, Mary Kay & Mitchell, George E. & Santamarina, Francisco J., 2021. "Discourses of evaluation: Institutional logics and organizational practices among international development agencies," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 146(C).
    8. Seán M. Muller, 2021. "Evidence for a YETI? A Cautionary Tale from South Africa's Youth Employment Tax Incentive," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 52(6), pages 1301-1342, November.
    9. Michel Abramowicz & Ariane Szafarz, 2019. "Ethics of Randomized Controlled Trials: Should Economists Care about Equipoise?," Working Papers CEB 19-017, ULB -- Universite Libre de Bruxelles.
    10. Wintrup, James, 2022. "Promising careers? A critical analysis of a randomised control trial in community health worker recruitment in Zambia," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 299(C).
    11. Kabeer, Naila, 2020. "Women’s empowerment and economic development: a feminist critique of story telling practices in ‘Randomista' economics," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 103880, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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