New Books in Anthropology Diana Graizbord, "Indicators of Democracy: The Politics and Promise of Evaluation Expertise in Mexico" (Stanford UP, 2024)
May 3, 2025
Diana Graizbord, an Assistant Professor at the University of Georgia, dives into her research on political accountability in Mexico. She reveals how evaluation expertise can enhance democratic practices amidst complex social dynamics. Graizbord discusses the evolution of Mexico's democracy through monitoring initiatives, particularly focusing on the influential conditional cash transfer program. She introduces the idea of techno-democracy, exploring the intricate balance between expert knowledge and citizen engagement in shaping social policies.
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What Is Techno-Democracy?
- Techno-democracy imagines a democratic future enabled by expert knowledge application.
- It differs from classic technocracy by focusing on rights expansion and citizen participation.
M&E as a Political Hinge
- Monitoring and evaluation act as a hinge linking different actors like academics and bureaucrats.
- Mid-level bureaucrats play essential roles in enacting this hinge within institutions.
Evaluability as Political Outcome
- Evaluability of programs is a political outcome, not guaranteed.
- It requires bureaucratic work and standardized indicators to align programs with measurable goals.
