Resources
The following resources focus on theories of change primarily in academic and research contexts. This is a starting point rather than a comprehensive collection. This list will be updated over time. To stay informed, sign up for our newsletter.
Problem-solving sociology offers prospects for something all those of us reading this article must want: a more ambitious sociology.
Featured Websites
Problem-solving sociology uses sociological insights and ideas to solve social problems, and uses the solving of social problems to advance sociological theory.
Stanford Impact Labs (SIL) supports scholars and their collaborators across the public, private, and social sectors to conduct research that addresses pressing social challenges. SIL's mission is putting social science to work for society.
A Curated List of Resources
Cambridge Elements in Problem-Solving Sociology publishes empirical and theoretical scholarship that applies sociological perspectives to address real-world social problems while advancing sociological theory. The series emphasizes solutions-oriented research that combines rigorous empirical evidence with innovative theoretical and methodological approaches, highlighting sociology's unique contribution to understanding and solving contemporary social challenges.
In this webinar Stanford Impact Labs director of Programs and Education, Sarah Hopwood, demystifies what it takes to identify research pathways to impact.
A textbook introducing problem-solving sociology, demonstrating how sociological theories and methods can be applied to address real-world social problems and inform evidence-based solutions by Monica Prasad, Phd. Oxford University Press. 2021.
Article examining community-engaged scholarship as a collaborative approach to public sociology that advances social justice through reciprocal partnerships, interdisciplinary research, and community action by Rebecca A London, Douglas Hartmann, Nancy Plankey-Videla, Elizabeth Borland, and Carol Glasser. Social Problems. 2024.
Article drawing on decades of gender scholarship to develop and test a "small wins" model of change — showing how concrete, researcher-practitioner collaborations can reduce gender bias in workplace evaluations and build toward larger organizational transformation, by Shelley J. Correll. Gender & Society. 2017
An open-access article highlighting the gap between implementation science research and healthcare practice, advocating practical, user-friendly tools to improve evidence-based care adoption by Anna Westerlund, Per Nilsen, and Linda Sundberg. Worldviews on Evidence-Based Nursing. 2019.
Book presenting a framework for conducting impactful research by integrating applied, basic, and collaborative approaches to address real-world societal challenges by Ben Schneiderman. Oxford University Press. 2016.
Case study of GoDaddy partnering with the VMware Women’s Leadership Innovation Lab to make their company a top workplace for women in technology. By Adina Sterling and Sheila Melvin. 2020. (Link to Stanford Graduate School of Business Case No. SM318A. Case No. SM318B and Case No. SM318C are also available)
Article examining how diversity initiatives can survive leadership turnover by identifying organizational factors that embed and sustain change beyond individual change agents by Alison Tracey Wynn. Academy of Management. 2017.
Commentary by Shelley J. Correll, PhD, Lab Faculty Director and Social Impact Labs Associate Director, discussing the value of academic–practitioner partnerships for translating social science research into evidence-based solutions that promote gender equity and broader social impact. Published in Social Impact Lab. 2021.
Article outlining how a Theory of Change helps researchers articulate how their work can lead to meaningful outcomes for society in addition to contributions to their academic field by Sarah Hopwood. Stanford Impact Labs. 2025.