Institute of Development Studies

The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) delivers world-class research, learning and teaching that transforms the knowledge, action and leadership needed for more equitable and sustainable development globally.

Through equitable and sustainable partnerships, we work with governments, philanthropic foundations, non-governmental organisations, academics and civil society to transform approaches to progressive social, political and economic change in ways that ultimately make a difference to people’s lives.

We have helped foster innovative new partnerships that have generated millions of dollars in additional tax revenues in Africa that can be reinvested in countries’ national development. We have worked to provide solutions to environmental problems that build on local people’s knowledge and practices. We have highlighted the role of local communities in bringing an end to deadly epidemics like the Ebola virus.  We have nurtured hundreds of exceptional development leaders and champions including political leaders, country Ambassadors and government officials, civil society leaders and entrepreneurs.

Our reputation for research and international outlook is second to none and reflected in our performance in the latest QS World University Rankings where we are ranked first in the world for development studies, together with the University of Sussex.


Latest reports

Mapping the supply of surveillance technologies to Africa

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies documents which companies are supplying which types of surveillance technology to African governments. African governments are spending over 1US$bn per year on digital surveillance technologies which are being used without adequate legal protections in ways that regularly violate citizens’ fundamental human rights. This report...

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Mapping the supply of surveillance technologies to Africa

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at the supply of surveillance technologies to Africa. African governments are spending over 1US$bn per year on digital surveillance technologies which are being used without adequate legal protections in ways that regularly violate citizens’ fundamental human rights. This report documents which companies, from...

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How to use collaborative art-making for dialogue and communication

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at collaborative art-making. Artists have often used artworks to express emotions and thus prompt public dialogue about contemporary challenges. At the same time, it has been suggested that collaborative art-making can be used in environmental deliberation processes, where stakeholder groups discuss contentious challenges...

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Pathways to equitable food systems

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at inequitable global food systems. Globally, our food systems are highly inequitable. In a world with enough food, hunger is becoming normalised for large numbers of people, while diets are worsening and obesity is rising. Racialised minorities are more at risk from obesity...

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Power, poverty, and knowledge

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies reflects on 50 years of learning with Robert Chambers. Robert Chambers is one of the most influential and prolific scholars to write about participation, poverty, and knowledge in development studies. His writing and thinking have revolutionised the discipline, inspiring both participatory processes and more...

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People’s agenda for pandemic preparedness

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at collecting knowledge gained from our experiences with the Covid-19 health emergency. In May 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) announced that Covid-19 is no longer a health emergency. Now that the world is in this new period of living with the coronavirus,...

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Power, poverty, and knowledge

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies reflects on 50 years of learning with Robert Chambers. Robert Chambers is one of the most influential and prolific scholars to write about participation, poverty, and knowledge in development studies. His writing and thinking have revolutionised the discipline, inspiring both participatory processes and more...

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Equitable access and public attitudes to vaccination for internal migrants in Vietnam

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at policy implementation and decision-making for vaccination in Vietnam. Policies that give priority to economic productivity disadvantage those who are not considered vital or essential from that perspective. The delegation of some of the vaccination access decisions to local authorities, for example village...

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Systems thinking and practice

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies is a guide on systems thinking and practice in the context and needs of the UK's FCDO. The guide offers a common language and shared framing of systems thinking for FCDO and its partners. It explores what this implies for working practices, business processes...

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Practical guides for participatory methods: Mapping and power analysis

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies is a practical guide to create a visual map of the key resources and assets in a community. This method enables participants to create a visual map of the key resources and assets in their community, organisation, workplace etc, that are important for their...

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Practical guides for participatory methods: Body mapping

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies offers practical guidance on body mapping and why it might be useful. Body mapping may be useful for practitioners and researchers who want to: Examine and appreciate how emotions, cultural norms or practices relate to (specific parts of) physical bodies, or are embodied; Explore...

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Citizen voice and the arts

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at opportunities and challenges for citizen–policy engagement on environmental issues. Citizen and policy groups address environmental challenges in the Sahel, but rarely together. In Sahelian West Africa, including in Mauritania, Senegal, and Mali, artists and citizens have used protest art to make their...

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The socioeconomic impact of Covid-19 in low- and middle-income countries

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at Covid-19 impacts on industries, sectors and socioeconomic groups. This report provides a snapshot of the research undertaken and published by members of the IDRC-supported CORE programme. It sets out the main themes addressed by the research in relation to Covid-19 impacts on...

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IDS Annual Review 2021–22

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at a year of conflict, climate change, and Covid-19. As we highlight in the IDS 2021–22 Annual Review, these uncertain times demand that development research be done differently, with new approaches to learning and knowledge exchange that engage policy actors and diverse communities....

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Decentralised access to electricity through mini-grids in Tanzania

This report from UK think tank the Institute of Development Studies looks at mini-grids as a technology for electrifying remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa. Renewable, decentralised mini-grids are a promising technology for electrifying remote communities in sub-Saharan Africa. However, most mini-grids struggle not only to obtain a profit, but also to recover costs. This Policy...

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