Making a difference

ESID’s aspiration is to change how development scholars and practitioners think about inclusion, capacity and commitment. That is why most of our research engages directly with Northern and Southern policymakers, not just as subjects of study, but also as stakeholders

By involving policymakers in the design, conduct and oversight of our research, we hope to ensure that our work has tangible benefits for them. We also aim to empower advocates for a more politically nuanced and analytically sophisticated approach to inclusive development.
Some of our projects involve a close relationship with governance advisers at aid agencies like DFID and the World Bank. More importantly, much of our research involves the direct participation of Southern partners, both governmental and non-governmental.

• In Uganda we are working together with those responsible for writing the next National Development Plan.
• In Ghana and Bangladesh we are collaborating with leading thinktanks like CDD and the BRAC Institute of Governance and Development (BIGD) to help improve research capacity and hone research leadership skills.
• For our JNNURM (Jawaharlal Nehru National Urban Renewal Mission) research project we are working with the NGO SPARC (Indian Alliance of Slum Dwellers International), as well as with the National Institute for Urban Affairs.
• And the MGNREGA (Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Act) study has sought to build close links with state and civil society ‘policy champions’ through a Policy Reference Group, which will serve as a major conduit for the dissemination of our findings.

Watch ESID Joint Director of Research Sam Hickey discuss early findings on inclusive governance in oil-rich countries, and on how women’s inclusion can best promote gender equity.