Our work in governance and conflict examines how citizens can be represented and governed fairly, as well as the impact of conflict and protracted crises on people’s lives.
We investigate public authority and the institutions and politics that shape it, in particular the recent increase of authoritarianism and the mobilisation against it. Crucial areas of exploration include equitable tax policies, civic action, and the impact of digital technologies on democracy and freedom.
Our research also seeks to better understand the effects of conflict on different development issues and articulate how states can provide social assistance to marginalised populations in times of crisis.
IDS to lead new research network for crisis preparedness and response
04 June 2026
International Centre for Tax and Development (ICTD)
An independent research centre focused on improving tax policy and administration in lower-income countries.
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Humanitarian Learning Centre
Bringing together high-quality analysis, dialogue and debate with accessible, operational learning to improve humanitarian response, practice and policy.
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Better Assistance in Crises Research (BASIC)
Examining why, how and when to use social protection approaches in different crisis contexts, to deliver more effective social assistance so that vulnerable people cope better with crises and meet their basic needs.
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Digital Authoritarianism
Contributing to arresting democratic regression across Africa by identifying, documenting and analysing existing and newly emerging elements of digital authoritarianism and the practices of digital citizenship that work best to mitigate or overcome them.
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Land Redistribution Initiative: Addressing Inequality in the 21st Century
The Land Redistribution Initiative aims to assess past redistributive land reforms in eight countries in Africa, Asia, Latin America and Europe, and extract lessons for contemporary policy.
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Economic democracy
Our work aims to show how at the same time as the processes of environmental decay, social deprivation and economic and political concentration are generating growing discontent, they are also creating opportunities to democratise the economy.
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Trade and inclusive growth
Global trade is witnessing unprecedented changes. Our research responds to this new reality, investigating the links between international trade, growth, and development. We generate evidence on trade and trade policy pathways that result in inclusive development outcomes, and which address inequities in trade policy processes, regulations and global flows of…
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MA Governance. Development and Public Policy
This degree provides you with a theoretical and practical understanding of debates on political change and how public authority is created and exercised.
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We are living in a period of global volatility in which intersecting crises are combining with devastating impacts for people already living in and near poverty. This book carefully examines the dynamics of these crises…
June 2026
The global race to secure critical minerals is accelerating. Demand for lithium, cobalt, copper and rare earths is projected to increase dramatically – in some cases by four times or more by 2040. This offers…
May 2026
IDS was recently honoured to welcome the Hon. Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Dr Harini Amarasuriya to mark the 60th anniversary of IDS. In this special episode of the IDS Between the Lines podcast we…
May 2026
The digitalisation of social grants in South Africa has inverted the accountability relationship between citizens and the state. People now answer to opaque digital systems they cannot see into or challenge, while the state evades…
May 2026