Translating Evidence to Action in a Post-Truth World
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.18357/cjpe.2026.40.1.1212Keywords:
Post truth evaluation, misinformation, participatory evaluation, developmental evaluation, resilience, principles focused evaluation, evidence to action, equity and sustainabilityAbstract
In today’s post-truth socio-political landscape, characterised by populism, misinformation, and systematic threats to equity and sustainability, traditional evaluation methods may often fall short. This paper introduces a framework built around four interrelated approaches: principles-focused, participatory, developmental, and resilience-oriented evaluation. Together, these approaches provide evaluators with practical strategies for countering misinformation, embedding community ownership of evidence, and fostering adaptive learning that builds resilience. The framework is distinct from prebunking or debunking in that it centres on the evaluation process itself; how evidence is generated, validated, and used with communities, rather than on correcting falsehoods alone. The framework presented in this paper offers significant benefits: It not only builds the adaptive resilience of communities against misinformation and populism but also transforms them from passive recipients of externally designed interventions into active agents of change within their own communities. We illustrate this potential through case studies from rural Pakistan, conflict-affected Northern Uganda, and the United States, highlighting both the unique forms misinformation takes in each setting and the common evaluative strategies that address them. In doing so, the article demonstrates how participatory, developmental, and resilience-oriented evaluation can complement value-based and principles-focused practice to safeguard truth, equity, and democratic accountability in an era of disinformation and political disruption. Ultimately, it empowers evaluators to promote informed decision-making and inclusive practices, reinforcing the enduring power of truth in our divided world.
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