Some reflections on Pawson’s Science of Evaluation: A Realist Manifesto

Abstract

This article examines the evolution of Ray Pawson’s realist theory of evaluation, with a particular focus on his most recent book, Science of Evaluation: A Realist Manifesto. It is not a substitute for reading the original text. Reviews always say less about a book than the book in question. The goal is to provide a broader context for interpretation and an invitation to consider critically the practical import of Pawson’s grand ambitions for a new evaluation science. Like previous writings, this latest call-to-arms will appeal to some quarters of the evaluation community and dismay others. Regardless, evaluators should not remain indifferent. Pawson presents a vigorous, if at times irreverent, argument for advancing evaluation as a realist enterprise. Science of Evaluation deserves to be read and discussed widely.