From Insight to Theory: Advancing Sentiment Evaluation for Diaspora Development Projects

ABSTRACT

This article develops the concept of “sentiment evaluation,” drawing on a mid‐term evaluation by the Danish Refugee Council (DRC) of its program supporting Somali diaspora activism in Somaliland. Conducted in 2014, the evaluation revealed that “sentiment,” the emotional, identity‐based attachment linking diaspora actors to their homeland, constitutes a central motivational force shaping project outcomes. At that time, DRC struggled to operationalize sentiment as an evaluative criterion because sentiment evaluation had not yet been theorized as an approach contributing to improved effectiveness and sustainability of diaspora development projects. In this article the authors wish to begin the work of theorizing sentiment evaluation, starting with a reflection on the organizational learning that followed the 2014 mid‐term evaluation, and delving into ways in which a systematic integration of sentiment into evaluation practice would enable more nuanced support strategies and enhance the transformative potential of diaspora‐driven development. The authors conclude by offering an initial theoretical articulation of sentiment evaluation, providing a foundational framework for subsequent experimentation in development programming.