Inclusive Economies

Our work explores what characterises inclusive economies and how these can be achieved, particularly in a world where new technologies, rural to urban migration, and growing youth populations are disrupting and putting new pressures on people’s lives and livelihoods.

Our research looks at the impacts of business and markets on development and inequality and explores the potential for novel market-based solutions to work for the poorest and most marginalised based on gender, ethnicity and disability.  It explores alternatives that enable workers, consumers and communities to have a real voice.

It continues to revitalise debates on agriculture as a key pathway out of poverty and towards inclusion, particularly for young people. Our work is focused on identifying what opportunities exist in a period of agricultural commercialisation and rural transformation and how far different groups are able to access them.  It also understands how new technologies such as drones or blockchains pose risks, but can also be harnessed to improve the lives of the poorest and most marginalised people.  In a rapidly urbanising world where cities have become focal points for economic growth, jobs and innovation but also for poverty, inequality, vulnerability and conflict, our work explores what this means for both urban and rural people, and the opportunities and challenges they face in living safe and fulfilling lives.

People

Jodie Thorpe

Research Fellow

Philip Mader

Research Fellow

Richard Jolly

Emeritus Fellow and Research Associate

Ana Pueyo

Research Fellow

Carlos Fortin

Emeritus Fellow and Research Associate

Rachel Sabates-Wheeler

Research Fellow

Keetie Roelen

IDS Honorary Associate

Giel Ton

Research Fellow

Programmes and centres

Projects

Recent work

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Past Event

Pathways to sustainable agriculture in Ghana

The IDS Ghana hub is pleased to invite you to a panel event entitled ‘Pathways to Sustainable Agriculture in Ghana’, held in collaboration with University of Ghana and University of Sussex. This event will involve two panels, one on Innovations and one on Agricultural Markets for...

26 February 2025

Journal Article

Missing the forest for the trees: Ekiti State’s quest for forestry revenue and its impact on forest managers

Forest Policy and Economics 172

Many countries’ forests are over-exploited and mismanaged, including through ineffective taxation. This is the case across Nigeria, where forest management has been decentralised to individual states. In this paper we assess the forestry tax regime in Ekiti State, where forests represent...

25 February 2025

News

‘Devastating blow’ to UK’s aid budget

The UK Prime Minister has announced that the UK's Official Development Assistance (ODA) budget will be cut from 0.5 percent to 0.3 percent of GNI by 2027, in order to fund an increase to the defence budget.  IDS response to the ODA cut In response to the announcement, Professor Peter...

25 February 2025

Opinion

What do young people do and where in post-land reform Zimbabwe?

With a whole new generation of young people demanding land and livelihoods across the land reform areas, we have been asking what are young people doing to make a living and where? In our study we have two cohorts of young people linked to our core household sample across our sites. The first...

24 February 2025

Book

The Handbook of Iraqi People’s Heritage

Book

Iraq is a land of rich and diverse cultural heritage, shaped by thousands of years of history. However, many groups and communities are marginalised on religious, ethnic, linguistic, and cultural grounds in Iraq. It is the heritage of such marginalised groups that is most at risk of disappearance.

Mariz Tadros
Mariz Tadros & 6 others

21 February 2025

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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