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

Research Associate

Ana Pueyo

Research Fellow

Carlos Fortin

Research Associate

Rachel Sabates-Wheeler

Rural Futures Cluster Lead

Keetie Roelen

IDS Honorary Associate

Giel Ton

Research Fellow

Programmes and centres

Projects

Recent work

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Showing 1141–1152 of 14674 results

Report

Evidencing Participatory Child Rights Work

The impetus for this dialogue came out our first Rejuvenate working paper – which formed the basis of our living archive. In the paper, we tried to map the people, projects and publications that occupied the space at the intersection of child rights and participation. What we found in our...

18 May 2022

Brief

Cambodia’s Covid-19 Response and Migrant Workers (accessible version)

IDS Policy Briefing 193

This briefing examines Cambodia’s Covid-19 response to highlight how knock-on effects have disproportionately impacted vulnerable migrants and informal domestic workers, including human-trafficking survivors.

Keo Bunthea & 3 others

17 May 2022

Brief

Policies to Improve Migrant Workers’ Food Security in Vietnam (accessible version)

IDS Policy Briefing 192

Migrant workers in Vietnam make up 7.3 per cent of the population. Despite rapid economic growth, they suffer from precarious working conditions and food insecurity, which Covid-19 control measures have exacerbated.

17 May 2022

Publication

Synthesis of Work by the Covid Collective

Overview: This report looked across Covid Collective outputs and grouped findings into three sections. Section 2) Pandemic response; Section 3) Increased marginalisation; and Section 4) Emergent outcomes. Section 4 describes outcomes, both positive and negative, which evolved and were more...

17 May 2022

News

Heatwave in India and Pakistan is affecting marginalised most severely

A devastating heatwave affecting South Asia over the past two months has persisted into this week, with temperatures in parts of Delhi hitting a record 49.2 degrees Celsius over the weekend. From as early as March this year daytime temperatures have frequently passed the 40 degrees Celsius mark...

16 May 2022

Opinion

What is drought? Local constructions, diverse perceptions

There is a huge government and aid machinery to respond to ‘drought’ in Zimbabwe. Humanitarian relief, cash-plus transfer schemes, shock-responsive aid, anticipatory action, insurance products, climate-smart development and much, much more, with millions of dollars spent. But what is...

16 May 2022

News

IDS comments on new UK International Development Strategy

The UK’s Foreign Secretary Liz Truss has today announced the long-awaited Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office’s (FCDO) new International Development Strategy. The strategy sets out the Government’s future approach to international development, prioritising investment...

16 May 2022

Publication

Humanitarian Evidence and Discourse Summary No.26

K4D Helpdesk Report

This is the 26th monthly Knowledge, Evidence and Learning for Development (K4D) Programme's Humanitarian Evidence and Discourse Summary to signpost the latest relevant evidence and discourse on humanitarian action. It is the result of one day of work per month and is not intended to be a...

15 May 2022

Opinion

What Covid-19 responses in urban India can teach us about community engagement

65 million Indians reside in urban slums. These densely populated informal settlements, which house 22% of India’s population, were deeply affected by the first and second Covid-19 waves. With no security blanket and inadequate health infrastructure, urban slum residents were left to fend for...

Swati Mishra
Prerana Somani

12 May 2022

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).