Our research on governance, power relations, participation and citizen engagement, informs change processes in pursuit of social justice and social change. With power and politics central to our analysis, we support the generation of new evidence that contributes to improved processes for good governance, citizen engagement, empowerment and accountability.
We pioneer new ways of working with governments, communities, activists and academics, to understand the complex relationships and processes that exist across states, markets, and citizens, and between formal and informal institutions, to tackle issues such as digital inequalities, women’s participation and empowerment, decentralisation and local governance, rapid urbanisation, migration, taxation and domestic resource mobilisation, food security and hunger and nutrition. These draw on our extensive expertise in complex approaches to how change happens. Through our research and policy partnerships we are also bringing new insights on the role that rising powers and emerging economies such as China and Brazil have in relation to global governance and tackling development challenges such as sustainability and poverty. Our world-renown participatory research has a particular emphasis on systematic social exclusion facing women, people living in extreme poverty, people with disabilities, slaves bonded labourers, indigenous peoples and others. We advance cutting edge methodological development in action research, participatory visual methods, participatory mapping, participatory statistics, participatory Monitoring, Evaluation and Learning (MEL) amongst others.
In alignment with the ‘leave no one behind’ framing of the UN Global Goals for Sustainable Development, the PMA programme is working with groups of people living in poverty and marginalisation to strengthen processes of citizen-led accountability.
The International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD) provides research evidence that supports developing countries in raising domestic revenues equitably and sustainably, in a manner that is conducive to pro-poor economic growth and good governance.
The purpose of humanitarian action is to support people affected by armed conflicts and disasters by helping them to save their lives, alleviate their suffering, maintain their dignity, assist their recovery and increase their resilience. Today’s global humanitarian system is a major...
This paper addresses Covid-19 in India, looking at how the interplay of inequality, vulnerability, and the pandemic has compounded uncertainties for poor and marginalised groups, leading to insecurity, stigma and a severe loss of livelihoods.
Professor Melissa Leach, Director of the Institute of Development Studies, has joined other leading research institutions in co-signing a letter from the Development Studies Association (DSA) to the UK government.
The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is working with Canada’s International Development Research Centre (IDRC) to support recovery from Covid-19.
IDS, which played a key role in supporting the response to Ebola in West Africa, has partnered with IDRC to coordinate engagement work...
Interacting online has not been nearly as bad as many participatory researchers feared. It remains second best to face-to-face practice without question but there have been unexpected benefits and opportunities. As we are all considering how we will build back better post-Covid, for...
While potential costs and tracked spending on adaptation to climate change in middle-income countries (MICs) are difficult to measure, there is wide agreement that current spending on adaption is highly inadequate.
This helpdesk report examines if there is evidence that there is a need for MICs...
The Covid-19 pandemic has shown the importance of a better understanding of Global Value Chains (GVCs) in relation to epidemic outbreaks. The literature also mentions that there is now an opportunity for building inclusive and sustainable GVCs.
This rapid review synthesises the literature from...
Intersectionality is the flavour of the month in social sciences and international development, quickly gaining ground in international policy making circles. Noting its popularity in social justice movements aiming to pluralise representation of both voices and issues, I will draw on our study,...
In response to the Chancellor of the Exchequer announcement today that the UK commitment to spend 0.7 percent of its GNI on overseas development aid is to be reduced to 0.5 percent, Professor Melissa Leach, Director, Institute of Development Studies, said:
“Today’s announcement is...
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).