Governance
Governance research team members work in collaboration with scholars and institutional partners in Asia, Africa, Latin America and Eastern Europe on issues of public authority and state capacity, security and peace-building. We aspire as a team to produce cutting edge, policy oriented research on governance seen as multi-level and networked, operating at transnational, national and local levels.
Our research revolves around core themes of:
- Collective action and social accountability
- Conflict management, security and peace-building
- Developing and teaching research methodologies relating to governance
- Financial management and taxation policy
- Political and fiscal challenges of extractive economies
- Public authority and state capacity
- Transnational organised crime
The Governance team has a commitment to research that seeks to make a positive difference in the lives of people who are living in poverty and under conditions of fragility, insecurity, conflict and vulnerability. We have backgrounds in political science, international relations, sociology, geography and development studies, and have broad expertise in Africa, Asia, Latin America and post-communist states of Russia and Eastern Europe.
We use evidence-based research to challenge and refine ideas and practice, engaging with citizens, decision-makers and power-holders across the globe and at all levels of public authority (from local to global). Our work includes providing technical support to donor agencies and building capacity in research design and methodologies for social scientists. The new DFID and NORAD-funded International Centre for Tax and Development is based within the team.
Members have teaching responsibilities at IDS with regard to doctoral students, the MA Governance and Development and the MA Development Studies.
Our research approach
The Governance team's work is focused on the critical analysis of public authority and the institutions, social networks and politics that shape it - for good or bad. In this respect, the notions of legitimacy, power, state-citizen bargaining, contestation and (il)legality are central.
Seeing 'governance' as multi-leveled and networked, the team explores how governance works at different levels and how these interrelate. At state-global level, our research explores the ways in which states respond to new global forces. These include pressures toward 'bad governance' and regulatory actions taken by international and regional organisations in relation to security reform, transnational organised crime, and post-conflict reconstruction.
At state level our work has explored the means through which states acquire legitimacy and build capacity and how citizen involvement and collective action bring about social accountability. Research on state-local relations raises questions about justice provision and on how policy models incorporate 'informal' or traditional forms of governance as well as the political challenges posed at all levels by extractive activities in poor regions.
Key contacts
Team Members
Assessing the Political Feasibility of Policy Reform in the Horn of Africa
The project investigated the ways in which local political organisation, interest group power, and institutional proclivities and capacities shape the reform initiatives that are most likely to be successful. More details
Academic Partnership in Support of Teaching Development Aid Curriculum in Russia
IDS was commissioned by the World Bank to provide input into the implementation of the 'Russia as a Donor Initiative' (RDI) programme. More details
Assessing the Political Feasibility of Policy Reform in the Horn of Africa
The project investigated the ways in which local political organisation, interest group power, and institutional proclivities and capacities shape the reform initiatives that are most likely to be successful. More details
Global Drug and Development Policy Roundup
The Roundup aims to develop recommendations to increase the engagement of the international development community in policy discussions and activities to tackle the illlegal drug trade. More details
Global Uncertainties: Security in an Africa of Networked, Multi-Level Governance
The programme of research centres on how the various institutions responsible for the production of security and the management of conflict in Sub-Saharan African societies do, could and should evolve in response to the presence of violent conflict. More details
International Centre for Tax and Development
This 5 year research consortium aims to build a stronger evidence base for those seeking to develop more effective and legitimate institutions that deliver improved outcomes for poor people. More details
Multi-Methods Research Course (MMRC) in Africa
The Partnership for African Social and Governance Research has commissioned an innovative, applied, methods course for the region's mid-career faculty engaged in research on governance and social policy. More details
Power and Politics in Africa
This large research programme seeks to identify systems for exercising power, conducting politics and building states in sub-Saharan Africa that will offer better outcomes in terms of poverty reduction than the current arrangements. More details
Re-creating the State: Governance, Civil Society and Trust in Poland, Russia and Ukraine
This project is looking at tax collection, welfare distribution and environmental regulation to find out where transitional states should channel their limited resources in order to implement their policies. More details
The Capacity to Have an Effect: An Efficacy Study of the Caribbean Child Support Initiative
This study focussed on the Caribbean Child Suppor Initiative's programme concept and the perspectives of stakeholders to identify the dynamics and influences on the programme's operations and analyse the processes by which it is able to make a difference. More details
The Governance of Service Delivery
A new partnership between the Swiss Agency for Development and Cooperation (SDC) and IDS has been formed with the aim of supporting SDC’s ‘Democratisation, Decentralisation and Local Governance Network’ (DLGN) between 2012 and 2014. IDS’ contribution will seek to improve DLGN’s effectiveness and impact of policy strategies and operations. More details
Analysing Nutrition Governance
The project examines what factors enable governments to commit to national nutrition strategies and deliver appropriate nutrition policies in the long run. More details
International Centre for Tax and Development
This 5 year research consortium aims to build a stronger evidence base for those seeking to develop more effective and legitimate institutions that deliver improved outcomes for poor people. More details
Re-creating the State: Governance, Civil Society and Trust in Poland, Russia and Ukraine
This project is looking at tax collection, welfare distribution and environmental regulation to find out where transitional states should channel their limited resources in order to implement their policies. More details
Governance team blog
The blog offers new ideas and challenges conventional thinking on state capacity, the relationship between government and citizens and security and peace-building.
Governance team annual report
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