Evaluating Social Work Outcomes in Sub-Saharan Africa

Outcome analysis is a relatively recent innovation within the social work profession. However, the predominant research methodologies being generated by western scholars have limited application for practitioners working in developing countries. The current epistemological debate between positivist and phenomenological approaches to research are considered. The ethnocentric character of many quantitative techniques is explored and consequently qualitative approaches advanced in a developing country setting. This article also depicts the particular socio-economic and cultural context of sub-Saharan Africa and elaborates new concepts for the evaluation of outcome and the gathering of data in that region. Specifically, Amartya Sen's work on capabilities and Robert Chambers' work on Participatory Rural Appraisal are proposed as a foundation for constructing a more relevant and culturally consonant approach to outcome analysis and data collection respectively.