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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Showing 217–228 of 15301 results

Student Opinion

Studying at IDS in a time of crisis

Simin Ibnat Dharitree, MA Gender & Development class of 2024, wrote her dissertation on unpaid care in Gaza whilst the uprising in her home country Bangladesh was taking place. In this blog post, Simin talks about the impacts this had on her and the support she received from her IDS classmates...

Simin Ibnat Dharitree, IDS alumni

23 January 2025

Student Opinion

Applying knowledge & skills from the MA Poverty & Development

MA Poverty & Development alumna Molly Charker (class of 2020) works as a strategist at a creative agency for social impact, Shape History, who look after IDS’s web development. She shares how she has applied the knowledge and skills she learnt at IDS to the roles she has secured since...

Molly Charker, IDS alumni

22 January 2025

Student Opinion

Scholarship student on studying at IDS and applying for Chevening

Chevening Scholar Teofilo Moreno graduated in 2023 with an MA in Governance, Development and Public Policy. Having won a place on the 61st UN Grade Study Programme, he spent two weeks at the Palace of Nations in Geneva debating how to update the Universal Declaration of Human Rights with...

Teofilo Moreno, IDS Alumni

20 January 2025

Opinion

Rural development challenges in land reform areas of Zimbabwe

We have recently produced three new booklets summarising our work on themes relating to rural development challenges based on our work across our sites. The booklets contain lots of photos and draw from blogs published earlier on this site. They are being distributed in our field sites both to...

20 January 2025

News

Remembering Jeremy Swift

Jeremy Swift, long-time IDS Fellow and pioneer of pastoralism studies, sadly passed away on the 22 December 2024. Born on 28 May 1939, he studied Zoology and English (1958-1962) at Oxford for his undergraduate degree. He went on to work for IUCN (International Union for Conservation of...

16 January 2025

News

Join IDS for our flagship event Recasting Development 2025

The Institute of Development Studies will hold its flagship event Recasting Development on 28 January to explore key trends in development for the coming year. Now in its third year, the event offers an opportunity for IDS experts and partners to share their views on where development...

15 January 2025

News

Finding innovative ways to adapt to our heating planet

As part of this global effort, the Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is leading the HeatNexus Network Support Programme,  which will accompany the nine HeatNexus research projects, supporting them as they plan and deliver their projects using a participatory and reflective approach.

10 January 2025

Opinion

Understanding the gendered dimensions of post-election protests in Mozambique

Mozambique has been in political turmoil for the past three months, following the elections that were described as fraudulent by national and international observers, including the European Union Election Observation Mission, but where the results were nonetheless confirmed by the supreme court...

9 January 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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