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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 1033–1044 of 15397 results

Opinion

Durdiner (hard times) Diaries: Updates from the ground

In our Durdiner Diaries project (in Bangla, Hard times diaries), we have been tracking ‘new poor’ households in Bangladesh, studying their experiences of life before, during and after Covid. These are households that were not poor before Covid, but the impact of the pandemic made them...

17 August 2023

Opinion

Depoliticising politics

Lebanon’s political economy has long been characterised by the dominance of localist forms of governance, typified in the political familism and patrimonialisation of local leaders within communities in a political cultural of za’amatiyya (idolised leadership). In this blog, IDS student...

Marwan Issa, , current IDS student

16 August 2023

News

Domestic workers in India are demanding justice

Domestic workers in Delhi NCR are demanding that they receive fair and dignified treatment, and the recognition of their rights. As part of this, they are including appropriate wages, a day’s leave in a week, fixed hours of work in a day and the assurance of provident fund, pension, and...

16 August 2023

News

Essential development books and podcasts for the summer

For students about to start their postgraduate degree in international development or anyone with an interest in development, IDS staff and students have put together an essential reading and listening list. These books and podcasts cover a whole range of themes within development studies;...

15 August 2023

Working Paper

Missing the Forest for the Trees: Ekiti State’s Quest for Forestry Revenue and its Impact on Forest Management

ICTD Working Paper; 170

Forests are important socio-economic assets in many low-income countries. However, they are often over-exploited as governments do not sufficiently valorise them, including by taxing them inefficiently. This is the case across Nigeria, where forest management and taxation has been effectively...

11 August 2023

Working Paper

Women in Ethiopian Tax Administration: Evidence on Representation and Performance

ICTD Working Paper 169

In the growing body of research on gender and taxation in low-income countries, the implications of having more women in tax administration have received relatively little attention. Using data from employee records and key informant interviews, we examine the representation of women in the...

Seid Yimam

Yalew Meknonnen

11 August 2023

Impact Story

Co-creating art to spur dialogue

From 2022 -2023, a number of projects at IDS have demonstrated how effective arts-based methods are in giving people a voice and facilitating meaningful and equitable dialogue. Migrant stylists and researchers co-create art installation A working nail salon in a glass pavilion in an Amsterdam...

10 August 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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