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

Research Fellow

Keetie Roelen

IDS Honorary Associate

Giel Ton

Research Fellow

Programmes and centres

Projects

Recent work

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Showing 241–252 of 14831 results

Working Paper

Effective Social Protection in Conflict: Findings from Sudan

Working Paper

This paper explores the conflict sensitivity of social protection in Sudan in its various forms since the present war started in April 2023, from locally led mutual aid to the social assistance programming of international agencies.

Izzy Birch & 2 others

22 February 2024

Publication

River of Life

This fictional River of Life illustrates one family’s journey in the borough of Ealing. Based on research from the Enabling Early Child Development in Ealing (ECDE) project, it shows some common challenges faced by local families, but more importantly, how families felt support should be, in...

Mariah Cannon
Mariah Cannon & 3 others

20 February 2024

Opinion

Livelihood change after land reform: new research from Zimbabwe

At the beginning of each year, I try and catch up on the ever-growing literature on land, agriculture and rural change in Zimbabwe. Each year there seems to be more and more, as the body of work grows based on many research studies, often linked to Masters’ and PhD projects by Zimbabwean...

19 February 2024

Working Paper

Indirect Rule: Armed Groups and Customary Chiefs in Eastern DRC

ICTD Working Paper 182

This paper leverages a novel panel dataset covering the histories of 306 chiefs and 256 episodes of village governance and taxation by armed groups in 106 villages in eastern DRC in order to analyse the relationship between the governance of armed groups and the power of rural chiefs

17 February 2024

Opinion

Wrapping up the PASTRES programme

This month sees the end of the PASTRES programme. It has been an amazing journey since 2018. We are grateful for the support of the European Research Council through an Advanced Grant, and to our co-hosting institutions, the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex and the...

16 February 2024

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).