Opinion
Whose problem? Fixing our food systems
By Santiago Ripoll22 Jun 2017
You’ve heard it all before. Our food system is flawed, or more accurately, doomed. Santiago Ripoll argues that it is collective action not individual action that will fix our food system.
Globally, the fires of inequality rage on
By Jaideep Gupte20 Jun 2017
The fire at Grenfell Tower in London brings home the deep inequalities and class struggle that underwrite the global housing crisis.
Participatory video processes: building inclusive community-led change
By Jackie Shaw20 Jun 2017
Whilst the use of participatory video (PV) has expanded across the development sector, care needs to be taken regards its context, ethics and application. A new IDS course explores the techniques and practice of using PV for inclusive, community-led change.
Bilateral Investment Treaties: on the eve of a major reform?
By Carlos Fortin20 Jun 2017
Ecuador recently announced the termination of all its bilateral investment treaties signed since 1968. It's the latest installment in the ongoing international controversy around such treaties and in particular their compensation clause for foreign investors.
'Nothing about us without us!': the Philippines' approach to Zero Open Defecation
19 Jun 2017Following the workshop which looked at how best to support the poorest and most vulnerable in sanitation at scale, the Ministry of Health and UNICEF facilitated a one-day workshop for Government and partners in the Philippines on the 29th May 2017.
Land dispute resolution in Zimbabwe
By Ian Scoones19 Jun 2017
The reconfiguring of land use and ownership through land reform has generated a range of disputes. Having a transparent approach for dispute resolution is vital. This is a key task for the Zimbabwe Land Commission, as the third blog in the series argues.
Civilisation at the edge of nature: Mousuni Island in The Sundarbans
By Subir Dey16 Jun 2017
Subir Dey reflects on his trip to the Moushuni Islands of Sundarbans, India, where he asks if the sinking islands reflect a new era of climate change.
Women's empowerment through nutrition programming in Guatemala
By Sally Smith14 Jun 2017
How participatory action learning has been contributing to improved gender-sensitive programming in Guatemala.
Bridging the research-policy gap: Africa’s youth employment challenge
By Seife Ayele13 Jun 2017
Seife Ayele, co-editor of the latest IDS Bulletin on Africa's youth employment challenge, highlights the importance of bridging the research to policy gap and explains how an IDS and Mastercard initiative is helping
Supporting the least able in sanitation improvement (part 2)
13 Jun 2017Having worked with UNICEF on the post-Typhoon Haiyan sanitation & hygiene recovery strategy 2014-15, the UNICEF-IDS workshop enabled me to revisit typhoon-affected areas to see to what extent people had been able to rebuild their lives in the last two years.
Commercial agriculture in Africa: winners and losers
By Ian Scoones29 May 2017
The findings of the Land and Agricultural Commercialisation in Africa project, funded by DFID and ESRC, have just been published in the Journal of Peasant Studies. In this work Ian Scoones asked what difference did the ‘model’ of commercial farming make?
Putting research to use in addressing complex development challenges: are we ready?
By Marina Apgar26 May 2017
The Sustainable Development Goals provide a framework that may open up space to move beyond the siloes of disciplines and sectors. But, as we explore in a new paper, there are important lessons to consider from participatory, reflexive programmes that link research and action for development.
The pros and cons of commercial farming models in Africa
By Ian Scoones, Ruth Hall, Dzodzi Tsikata25 May 2017
What are the pros and cons of commercial farming models in Africa? Ian Scoones, Ruth Hall and Dzodzi Tsikata write in The Conversation.
Maduro’s new Constitution: more authoritarianism for Venezuela
By Maria Aguado Álvarez de Sotomayor, Lizbeth Navas-Aleman24 May 2017
Venezuela is a country in political as well as economic turmoil. Far from abating the crisis by deepening democracy, President Maduro's proposed constitutional reforms are more likely to secure the ruling party’s grip on power.
Academics in ivory towers? It’s time to change the record
By James Georgalakis24 May 2017
Are scholars really so out of touch with the real world or do we need to look again at this tired narrative that doesn’t reflect the reality of modern academia.
What should the priorities be for the new WHO Director-General?
By Melissa Leach, Annie Wilkinson, Ian Scoones, Hayley MacGregor23 May 2017
As leaders come together for the 70th World Health Assembly and make the choice of the next Director General, they have some major challenges ahead, but what should their priorities be? IDS researchers set out what they think should be at the top of the list.
What is the link between productivity, circular economy and the SDGs?
By Patrick Schroeder22 May 2017
Asia’s development over the last decades has been characterised by rapid economic growth, fast-paced development, urbanisation, and rising household incomes. Increases in productivity have been one of the main factors underpinning these trends.
The Emancipatory Rural Politics Initiative
By Ian Scoones22 May 2017
Launched this week the Emancipatory Rural Politics Initiative (ERPI) is being launched will be confronting the forces of authoritarian populism in rural areas, and exploring emancipatory alternatives.
A strong higher education sector can help retain UK's global influence
By Adam Tickell, Melissa Leach18 May 2017
As the UK prepares to exit the European Union and reposition itself on the global stage, IDS Director, Melissa Leach and University of Sussex Vice Chancellor, Adam Tickell, argue that a new UK government must continue to support the higher education sector.
Côte d’Ivoire: mutiny may be over, but the army’s problems are not
By Jeremy Allouche, Oswald Padonou17 May 2017
Reforming a fragmented army will be tough in Côte d’Ivoire’s tense atmosphere. Could foreign deployment provide an alternative solution? Jeremy Allouche writes for African Arguments.
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