Brandeis University Proseminar presentation by Oxfam's Duncan Green from March 2012. (3/6)

1. Understanding Power and Change
Duncan Green
Brandeis Proseminar
March 2012
Lecture 3

2. Why it Matters
 Rich source of new ideas and
approaches in both advocacy and
programming
 Recognizing our own models of change
and understanding those of others is
helpful in building alliances and SMS
 Improved agility and impact e.g.
spotting opportunities quicker
 Increasingly appreciated by funders

3. What is Power?
 Power as force field
 Ways of looking at power
– Visibility
– Spaces
– Four powers

4. Visibility
 Visible
 Invisible (norms and values – who
decides what is normal?)
 Hidden (setting agendas and priorities,
who chooses speakers and sends out
invitations?)

6. Power and relations
in international aid

7. Act or s
and
proces
ses
d
N orms an
beliefs

8. Spaces
 Intra-elite
 Invited spaces
 Created spaces

9. Intra-elite, invited or created?

10. The four powers
 Power Within
 Power With
 Power To
 Power Over

14. We Can: Power Within and Violence
Against Women

15. We Can: Changing Beliefs, not Policies
 Launched 2004
 3.2 million women and men in South
Asia have signed up as ‘change makers’
 Viral influencing model, began in
Uganda
 ‘To me change is the killing of fear’
 ‘I tell people, I am not here to change
you, that is not in my power. But I can
tell you how I have changed, and how it
has changed my life’
 http://www.oxfamblogs.org/fp2p/?p=6922

16. Power Analysis for Advocacy:
Phase One
 Define Change Goal
 What laws, policies, practices,
relationships need to change?
 What are obstacles to change? (e.g.
attitudes and beliefs, political groups,
financial/commercial interests, lack of a
feasible practical proposal)
 What are the political opportunities for
change (e.g. legislative timetables,
elections, international negotiations &
summits)

17. Power Analysis: Phase Two
 Who are decision-makers and institutions that
determine the change?
 At what level are decisions made (international,
national, state, politician or official)
 Who has formal and informal power on a reform
process?
 Among these groups and individuals, which are
– most easily influenced by OXFAM/partners?
– The lost causes?
– the ‘shifters' - the undecided or persuadable?
 Who influences the people in this key group, who
are often the principle target for our campaign?

18. Power Analysis is permanent
Power
Analysis
Change Implement and
Hypothesis Evaluate
Select Change
Strategies

19. Case Study: Revolution in Egypt
 Watch the Al Jazeera video (20 minutes)
and think about How Change Happens
– Context; Institutions; Agents; Events
– What tactics and alliances did the April
6th movement employ?
– Discuss your thoughts in groups and
report back