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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 997–1008 of 15426 results

Opinion

Small-scale agricultural mechanisation is taking off in Zimbabwe

A couple of weeks ago, the FAO hosted a massive gathering on ‘Sustainable agricultural mechanisation’, with the tag line efficiency, inclusivity, resilience. There were about 8000 delegates at the hybrid event and the FAO gave it a high profile. Agricultural mechanisation is back after a...

9 October 2023

News

New IDS podcast examines extraction of care in development

The new episode of the IDS Between the Lines podcast examines how the 'giving' industry of development can be an extractive industry as well, through the use of domestic workers and the lack of rights that these workers often have. The podcast features an interview with Dinah Hannaford,...

6 October 2023

Opinion

Rethinking research uptake in the East African region

Covid-19 has accelerated learning on bridging research and policy. In this guest blog the African Research & Impact Network (ARIN) share their East Africa Region Knowledge Translation Framework that seeks to enhance research use in emergencies and beyond. These issues around research use in the...

Leah Aoko, Research Associate, Africa Research and Impact Network

& 3 others

6 October 2023

News

Notable speakers announced for the new Sussex Development Lecture series 

Speakers at the forefront of new ideas for development have been confirmed for this Autumn term’s Sussex Development Lectures, run in partnership between IDS and the University of Sussex, who together are ranked no.1 in the world for development studies. The lectures will cover topics...

3 October 2023

Past Event

Foreign Aid and its unintended consequences: seeking a radical reboot

A conversation with Prof Dirk-Jan Koch on his new book Foreign Aid and its Unintended Consequences. Watch now https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IJW_h2cktNs This seminar will take the form of a public conversation with Dirk-Jan Koch about his new book Foreign Aid and its Unintended...

2 October 2023

Brief

Effective Governance Responses to Crises: Lessons from the Covid-19 Pandemic

Research for Policy and Practice Report

Drawing on research from the Covid-19 Responses for Equity (CORE) initiative, this summary highlights key learning from the Covid-19 pandemic on effective decision-making during crises.

27 September 2023

News

African nations spending $1bn a year on harmful surveillance

Governments in Nigeria, Ghana, Morocco, Malawi, and Zambia are collectively spending at least $1bn a year on digital surveillance technology contracts with companies in the US, UK, China, EU and Israel, new research reveals today. The research, published by the Institute of Development...

27 September 2023

Publication

Tax Treaty Shopping and Developing Countries

ICTD Working Paper 173

Analysis of the international network of double tax treaties reveals a large potential for tax avoidance. Developing countries are, on average, not more likely to suffer from tax revenue losses than other countries. Yet, this average masks the fact that several countries, such as Bangladesh,...

Maarten van ’t Riet

Arjan Lejour

22 September 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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