Peter Evans
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Peter Evans
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Peter Angus Evans was an English musicologist, most noteworthy for his book The Music of Benjamin Britten.

Source: Wikipedia
Political science 48%
Economics 27%

Substack
The lonely tree has a posse

Too much gloom? A short reflection on environmental and cultural renewal via self seeded trees and plastic flowers. There is something compelling about a lonely tree... not just for Instagram. Too much gloom? A short reflection on environmental and cultural renewal via self seeded trees and plastic flowers. There is something compelling about a lonely tree... not just for Instagram.

Reposts 0 4d

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PEA+AI = ? (my holding position on AI in Political Economy Analysis -PEA)

Personal reflections on AI in PEA, and 'strimming versus scything'. I hope a warm take, not a hot take. To be updated. AI is already upon us. Amongst us. People are talking openly about using AI in Political Economy Analysis (PEA), and also doing it (including me).

Reposts 0 12d

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Finally understanding the practical politics of the UN system (2 decades too late)

I don't usually write a blog about a podcast but this one reminded me how my understanding of the world was jolted when I started wearing glasses (aged 18). 4D vision! I don't usually write a blog about a podcast but this one reminded me how my understanding of the world was jolted when I started wearing glasses (aged 18). 4D vision!

Reposts 0 18d

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Witches' familiars

If you had to bring an object small enough for your pocket, but important enough to reflect an essence of you, what would it be? This was the challenge for the warm up at a team away day, some time in those sepia tinted years before Covid when we coughed innocently on public transport and had faith in health procurement (in the UK).

Reposts 0 Oct 3

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inking, fast and slow

A tumultuous 18 months. Long standing regimes creaking, falling under citizen power. Stock phrases ('civil society') fail to describe what we've seen - but common images emerge... A tumultuous 18 months. Long standing regimes creaking, falling under citizen power. Stock phrases ('civil society') fail to describe what we've seen - but common images emerge...

Reposts 0 Sep 26

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Can we talk about boredom? (and 'Fresnel' away the most damaging types)

Boredom eats away at people and organisations. It's worth talking about, without shame or blame. I use what I call 'Fresnel thinking' to identify and get rid of the worst types of boredom. Boredom eats away at people and organisations. It's worth talking about, without shame or blame. I use what I call 'Fresnel thinking' to identify and get rid of the worst types of boredom.

Reposts 0 Sep 18

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Path dependency, bangernomics, and trees of destiny (policy lessons from the sudden death of Baby Blue)

We lost a much loved family member in August - relax, Baby Blue was only a car. Can I squeeze public policy lessons from this? Only a tree could stop me. We lost a much loved family member in August - relax, Baby Blue was only a car. Can I squeeze public policy lessons from this? Only a tree could stop me.

Reposts 0 Sep 8

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Plum time and taxing windfalls

Our little plum tree has failed us this year, but walking the dog is a pilfered fruity buffet. Holiday special: no forced public policy metaphors; just abundant free soft fruit. And puns. Our little plum tree has failed us this year, but walking the dog is a pilfered fruity buffet. Holiday special: no forced public policy metaphors; just abundant free soft fruit. And puns.

Reposts 0 Aug 13

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Stammering in development: how I owned my stammer (and stopped it owning me)

In the hope that over sharing is caring, plus <click bait> Nobel economist versus famous shoe. And swans. In the hope that over sharing is caring, plus <click bait> Nobel economist versus famous shoe. And swans.

Reposts 0 Jul 10

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Going Nose to Tail in pursuit of research impact

I finally wrote a piece on going 'nose to tail' for research impact. And drew some new pictures - rattlesnakes. And did some training. And blogged. One of the best jobs I ever had was in commissioning DFID’s research for governance, conflict, inclusion, and humanitarian. Great work, great team, great partners, crazy fun. My first and only HQ role after about 20 years overseas and three successive country postings on the bounce.

Reposts 0 Jul 2

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Those SDGs...

My daughter's choices for undergraduate options crystallised my long-term misgivings about the SDGs. My daughter's choices for undergraduate options crystallised my long-term misgivings about the SDGs.

Reposts 0 Jun 23

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(Picture This Vol 4) Strategies and Tactics to Curb the Fossil Fuel Industry

Is a picture worth a thousand words? tell me! It was a joy to draw this for my friend Cathy Rogers, one of the authors of the serious but also hopeful report by the Social Change Lab.

Reposts 0 Jun 12

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Political Economy Analysis with/without a bang and a crash

PEA origin stories, new developments, and two new PEA jobs live PEA origin stories, new developments, and two new PEA jobs live

Reposts 0 Jun 2

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Aid, lipstick, the political economy dumpster, and black market uranium

An omnibus edition of loose thinking about recent events. An omnibus edition of loose thinking about recent events.

Reposts 0 Apr 3

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Picture this 3: Bangladesh Revenue System

Does drawing a complex system make it easier to understand, and act upon? After Kenya and Sri Lanka, here is a new system drawing of Bangladesh's revenue system. Th(ink)ing in progress... Does drawing a complex system make it easier to understand, and act upon? After Kenya and Sri Lanka, here is a new system drawing of Bangladesh's revenue system. Th(ink)ing in progress...

Reposts 0 Jan 21

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Happy new year: a dog on a T-shirt

A festering thread from 2022 about an act of kindness in 1993-4, and a resolution for me for 2025. Salvaged from the foul smelling wreckage of Twitter. 'Archived' (ha!) here for... my kids? A festering thread from 2022 about an act of kindness in 1993-4, and a resolution for me for 2025. Salvaged from the foul smelling wreckage of Twitter. 'Archived' (ha!) here for... my kids?

Reposts 0 Jan 7

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Like for likes, but comments are better (an idea for 2025)

As we flee the deadly twiX and seek smarter, kinder places to share our stuff, can we rebuild the currency of 'likes?'... and 'comment' freely like no-one is judging? As we flee the deadly twiX and seek smarter, kinder places to share our stuff, can we rebuild the currency of 'likes?'... and 'comment' freely like no-one is judging?

Reposts 0 Dec 19

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Representation (Bengals on my mind)

I have had the blessing of living and working in both Kolkata and Dhaka, giving me a sense of bigger Bengal, viewing each one from over the border... but this blog is about women's representation. I have had the blessing of living and working in both Kolkata (still Calcutta for my first few years there) and Dhaka, giving me some sense of a wider Bengal, and viewing each one from the other side of the border... But that’s all too serious and any comparisons are a minefield. I know from experience - everything from sanitation to electoral politics …

Reposts 0 Dec 13

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Drawing it out. Another fiscal system, plus mouse chromosomes, and a chicken with a human face.

Another short blog on another fiscal system drawing, and a family habit. Another short blog on another fiscal system drawing, and a family habit.

Reposts 0 Dec 4

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Drawing other people's thinking

I'm on a mission to get humans to stretch beyond lists and linear documents and think more in systems and pictures. This often means sketching my picture of someone else's brilliant work. This summer during Kenya’s political crisis, Professor Ken Opalo wrote a series of brilliant, rapid, analytical blogs, dissecting the causes of the crisis and proposing actions to help tackle the mess.

Reposts 0 Nov 27

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Not that Peter Evans...

Another one. I’m back in Dhaka after a long time. It’s been humbling to hear of the bravery and sacrifice of those that rose up this summer, and energising to hear views on how to understand and wrestle with uncertainty, underlying challenges, and navigate the roads ahead.

Reposts 0 Nov 13

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Zero to hero – and back again

This morning I re-read my 2021 leaving note (after 20 years in government) and was reminded how often I still think about the z-h-z cycle... if you are perma-hero, never zero - count your blessings! This morning I re-read my 2021 leaving note (after 20 years in government) and was reminded how often I still think about the z-h-z cycle... if you are perma-hero, never zero - count your blessings!

Reposts 0 Oct 24

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PEA washing

What if we accept the need for Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and thinking, and commission new analysis... then ignore it? As 'PEA' gets more mainstream, is 'PEA washing' a risk worth calling out? What if we accept the need for Political Economy Analysis (PEA) and thinking, and commission new analysis... then ignore it? As 'PEA' gets more mainstream, is 'PEA washing' a risk worth calling out?

Reposts 0 Sep 23

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Brainy Briny Thursday: thoughts on a fortnightly Chatty, Chatham, Open House.

12 reflections from BBT (Vols 1-12). And a puppy photo. 12 reflections from BBT (Vols 1-12). And a puppy photo.

Reposts 0 Sep 3

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Discretion: ugly, lovely, double edged (s)word

We want to stop bad people using it, but want good people to exercise it. But how can we tell which they are? (upgrading an idle Linkedin post to substack blog). We want to stop bad people using it, but want good people to exercise it. But how can we tell which they are? (upgrading an idle Linkedin post to substack blog).

Reposts 0 Aug 16

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National think / red face / big stage

Revisiting one of my favourite university campuses, JNU in Delhi, and remembering a brilliant big stage humiliation (I have had a few). Revisiting one of my favourite university campuses, JNU in Delhi, and remembering a brilliant big stage humiliation (I have had a few).

Reposts 0 Aug 9

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For those about to vote... (we salute you)*

*between elections too. It's UK election day - hoping that we all commit to seeking and demonstrating the real benefits of democracy between elections, not just the democratic act on voting day. More and more of what I write/think/worry about boils down to a need to ensure the active use of democratic principles and processes to help make life tangibly better for ‘ordinary people’ and address their everyday priorities.

Reposts 0 Jul 4