Advocacy in Constrained Settings. Rethinking Contextuality

Summary

Practical guidance on advocacy in the context of development commonly relates to the contexts in which it is set. However, context is relevant beyond the aspects usually addressed, most importantly the presence of a liberal state that has authority and competence to make and enforce policy decisions. To lay bare and reflect on these assumptions for advocacy research and practice, the chapter turns to advocacy manuals for practitioners in the development field. To illustrate and substantiate the problematic nature of the assumptions underlying practitioner guidance, the chapter provides insights from research into civil society advocacy in settings where the condition of the liberal state is not met: authoritarian/hybrid and fragile contexts. A discussion of findings from this research, and a reflection considering them, lead to the identification of a set of considerations for advocacy research and practice in the development sector regarding contextuality: CSO roles, advocacy capacities, strategies, and risk management.