
June 23, 2025
Maya Mailer unpacks the theory of change of an innovative climate change group, which uses artistic, eye-catching stunts outside corporate HQs, narratives of hope and the social status of mothers to talk to parts of the private sector that other climate activists often struggle to reach.
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Water security is not just an engineering problem: it’s about power
June 11, 2025
How to finance real water justice around the globe? Jo Trevor on four insights from a thought-provoking workshop at the recent Marmalade Festival in Oxford.
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All those democracy projects don’t seem to be boosting democracy: here’s an idea from Ukraine that might…
June 5, 2025
Vadym Georgienko introduces an innovative democracy programme in Ukraine that offers real influence over how community funds are spent to those who get active in civic and community life, whether that’s by clearing leaves, planting greenery or knitting socks. Want to find out more about these citizen tokens? Come to the online conference Citizen Capital: From Within next week, on June 12.
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Want to make change happen? Check out this free online course
May 15, 2025
Duncan Green introduces the brand-new edition of an Oxfam course for changemakers that he helped to design. And you can now learn how to make change happen in Arabic, French and Spanish, as well as English…
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Don’t start with the issue, start with the people: lessons from a legend of community organising
May 8, 2025
Duncan Green reviews a new book by a giant in the field of community organising and explores the differences between that approach to driving change and the policy-focused advocacy typically used by NGOs.
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No logframe, no indicators and no workplan: what can we learn from a malnutrition project that is truly community-led?
April 25, 2025
What happens when you support communities unconditionally to act as they see fit to tackle malnutrition? You get initiatives that seem, on the face of it, a long way from typical malnutrition interventions, whether that’s making soap, refurbishing a health centre or starting a poultry farm. Stephanie Buell of Action Contre la Faim on the “Boolo Xeex Xibon” project in Senegal – and how it actually put the community at the centre of the fight against malnutrition.
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Peru banned child marriage: here are three ways longitudinal research helped to make that happen
April 24, 2025
What does it take to persuade policy makers to make real progressive change? Kath Ford explains how Oxford University’s Young Lives study found success with a combination of robust longitudinal data, translating research into policy influencing and, crucially, relationships built painstakingly over many years.
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To influence those ‘out there’, change how you work ‘in here’: how a complex network worked to shape a UN treaty
April 23, 2025
Ajoy Datta draws five lessons from an analysis of how an international membership organisation influenced the 2023 High Seas Treaty.
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How does research for advocacy work ? A useful new guide
April 18, 2025
Our Blogger Emeritus Duncan Green on a new guide that draws on work in the US to influence policy on tobacco and health to identify five roles for research in policy change.
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Imposter syndrome: do you have it? And is it always a bad thing?
April 3, 2025
‘One male former government minister said he felt like an imposter a lot of the time… a government minister!’ Duncan Green reflects on how a recent conversation with LSE leadership students revealed widespread feelings of imposter syndrome.
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Anatomy of a fall: what the rise and fall of the UK aid budget tells us about making change happen
March 13, 2025
What are the lessons for activists from the cut in the UK development budget? Did big agencies get their messaging all wrong? How much damage did the closure of DFID do? Or the departure of David Cameron as PM? Katy Chakrabortty unpacks the implosion of UK aid…
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Should I birth a book? Top tips from a ‘book doula’
August 6, 2024
Always wanted to write that book about progressive change but don’t know where to start? Oxfam’s Irene Guijt shares tips from an expert…
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