Introducing JEOC: why Earth Observation, why Conservation, why Justice?
By Rose Pritchard and Timothy Foster The Just Earth Observation for Conservation (JEOC) project explores how Earth Observation technologies and data are changing biodiversity conservation and what this means for people living in or near protected areas. We work in...
Could moss preservation mitigate the effects of climate change in Africa?
By Rabiatu Adamu Saleh, Master’s student in Global Development (Environment and Climate Change) African cities are dealing with the dual issues of climate change and urban heat islands (UHI), leading to increased interest in innovative nature-based solutions...
Reflections on Embedded Research, Transformation & Impact
By Dr Helen Underhill How does meaningful impact emerge over time in global conservation and development research? A recent discussion among researchers and practitioners within GDI highlighted just how complex, relational, and often invisible this work can be....
Building bridges with Palestine: DSA 2025 reflections on what higher education can and must do
by Sandy Nofyanza, PhD student in GDI It was the final session on the last day of the 2025 Development Studies Association (DSA) Conference in Bath. Yet, it stood apart from any other session I’ve experienced in my entire career. Titled “Gaza Action Planning...
What Would “Positive Development Studies” Look Like?
By Richard Heeks (First posted on the ICTs for Development Blog) Development studies has long grappled with the pressing realities of global inequality, poverty, conflict, and environmental degradation. As a field rooted in critical inquiry, it often focuses on...
Convergence, Divergence, Flatlining or Plateau: What has happened to inequality between and within countries over the last decade?
by Saumik Paul (Senior Lecturer in Global Development, GDI) and Andy Sumner (Professor of International Development, KCL) Understanding inequality trends remains central to assessing both development progress and global justice. Two major dimensions—inequality...
New environments and fresh perspectives: Reflections from a visiting PGR
by Valquiria Almeida, PhD student at the Federal University of Minas Gerais Valquíria is a PhD student in Demography at the Federal University of Minas Gerais (Brazil), who recently spent six months on research leave at GDI. She is currently a researcher at the...
Globalisation in Flux: What does the Transformation of Value Chains mean for the Governance of Decent Work?
by Louisa Hann The exploitation of workers and the governance of decent work in global value chains (GVCs) represent long-standing issues spanning Development Studies, Political Economy, Economic Geography and International Business. While private and public ethical...