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Conflict and Violence

Our work provides a nuanced and realistic understanding of the relationship between violence, conflict, security and development. It aims to help policymakers, practitioners and citizens to develop policies and practices that strengthen people’s efforts to secure their own lives and livelihoods and improve the functioning of political institutions responsible for security and the management and prevention of conflict, and for the development of peace.

We examine the multiple layers and contexts in which violence manifests – from household to state and global level – and pinpoint the links and overlaps between these layers. This includes exploring the nature of, and responses to conflict and violence in rapidly expanding urban areas.  We have a done pioneering work on the dynamics of micro-level conflict, violence and development as well as on citizen action in violent contexts. Our research on gender, men and masculinities and gender-based violence has provided new insights on how to change attitudes, norms and behaviours for equality, peace and justice.

Another focal area is the dynamics of policy processes around conflict, violence and security examining the key framing and narratives. We explore non-traditional forms of security, especially linked to water, energy, food and health as well as post conflict and state building issues affecting service delivery and livelihoods, and are also developing new participatory approaches to peacebuilding. 

People

Patricia Justino

Professorial Fellow

Rebecca Mitchell

Postgraduate Researcher and Programme Manager

Gauthier Marchais

Research Fellow

Jeremy Allouche

Professorial Fellow

Jeremy Lind

Professorial Fellow

Juan Carlos Muñoz-Mora

Post Doctoral Researcher

Marinella Leone

Research Fellow

Robin Luckham

Emeritus Fellow

Programmes and centres

Recent work

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Showing 901–912 of 15420 results

Working Paper

Targeting in Protracted Crises: Niger Case Study

BASIC Research Working Paper 21

Targeting social assistance in situations of protracted conflict, displacement or recurrent climate shocks so that it reaches those most in need in a timely and effective manner, and without doing further harm, is a complex technical and political challenge for development and humanitarian...

Fred Merttens & 2 others

13 December 2023

Opinion

COP28: Five key issues for Latin America

For the second year in a row, the UN climate summit is being hosted by a large oil and gas producing nation — the United Arab Emirates. COP28 also marks the ninth year since the summit was hosted by a Latin American nation, after Chile’s turn was interrupted by a nation-wide outbreak of...

Santiago Jaramillo

& 2 others

12 December 2023

News

Statement on Palestine

In the context of an escalating humanitarian crisis for the people of Gaza, IDS notes with sadness the failure of the United Nations Security Council to call for an immediate ceasefire in the war on Gaza. Professor Melissa Leach, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, says: “We...

12 December 2023

Past Event

Counting the cost: funding flows, gender backlash and counter backlash

Major political and social shifts are stifling the possibility of gender justice across the world. Analysing this backlash as operating on global, regional and local scales in this webinar, we ask, where is the money? Watch now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5G9dc6EzkM8 While predominant...

12 December 2023

Opinion

Unlocking youth voices on health and wellbeing: experiences from London

Young people’s voices are often left out from policy conversations about health and wellbeing. We might wrongly assume that young people are healthier, with lower burdens of chronic disease compared to average adults in London. However, young people are increasingly facing challenges to...

Yasmin Dosanjh & 5 others

5 December 2023

Opinion

Curbing environmental damage: taxation in Africa

How can environmental taxes increase the sustainability of economic growth in low-income countries? Environmental taxes can be defined as any tax imposed on a base with a proven negative impact on the environment – examples include import tariffs on plastic material, charges on traffic...

5 December 2023

News

Climate change and critical agrarian studies

IDS Researcher Ian Scoones has co-edited a new open access book titled Climate Change and Critical Agrarian Studies. It explores the effects of climate change and responses to it on the rural world, including contributions from scholars of critical agrarian studies from around the...

5 December 2023

Opinion

COP28: A cautious cheer for Brazil’s return

Brazil’s enthusiastic return to this year’s COP - the UN’s annual climate change conference - is welcome but we should interrogate the motivations of powerful players in the government’s broad-based coalition, including agribusiness. There is a danger that these players encourage the...

1 December 2023

Why learn with us.

In an extraordinary time of challenge and change, we use more than 50 years of expertise to transform development approaches that create more equitable and sustainable futures. The work you do with us will help make progressive change towards universal development; to build and connect solidarities for collective action, locally and globally. The University of Sussex has been ranked 1st in the world for Development Studies for the past five years (QS World University Rankings by Subject).

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