PEA in Practice: A Practical Guide to Political Economy Analysis

PEA in Practice: A Practical Guide to Political Economy Analysis is a down-to-earth guide developed by The Asia Foundation for development practitioners seeking to embed political economy thinking into every stage of programming. Drawing on years of experience in doing, workshopping, and training with donor and civil society partners across Asia and the Pacific, PEA in Practice moves beyond theory to demystify how to do PEA in real-world contexts.

This guide offers a user-friendly framework, participatory tools, and concrete case studies to unpack power, institutions, and incentives—and to help practitioners navigate complexity, challenge technocratic defaults, and design politically informed pathways to change. Whether you’re new to PEA or refining your practice, this guide offers a grounded and inclusive approach to doing development differently.