This guidance note, by TPP Director Laure-Hélène Piron and TPP Principal Wilfred Mwamba, is for use alongside the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) guide to understanding political economy analysis (PEA) and thinking and working politically and is part of a series of FCDO guides on the use of PEA in practice, such as on politically informed context analysis. It sets out more detailed guidance on how to undertake a dynamic stakeholder analysis and political network mapping, both of which can be used to support international cooperation and development partnerships.

Stakeholder analysis considers the key actors relevant to an area of work. Political network mapping goes further, analysing the relationships between actors. Both tools help practitioners move from a general understanding towards specific, evidence-based decisions. These approaches can contribute to the design and implementation of a strategy, policy dialogue or development programme, and to the management of risks.

This guide has been produced jointly with FCDO and the Thinking and Working Politically Community of Practice (TWP CoP). The TWP CoP is a global network of practitioners and researchers in international cooperation committed to helping practitioners understand how change happens and why. The TWP CoP Secretariat has been hosted by the University of Birmingham with support from FCDO.