Covid-19 and the Hrishipara Diarists: was April the cruellest month?
The story so far
The first blog in this series was written just after an anti-coronavirus lockdown was enforced in Bangladesh on 26th March 2020. We showed how the shock was dealt with at the time by the 60 low-income households in central Bangladesh who volunteer as ‘diarists’ in our daily financial diary project. In this new blog we see what happened in April 2020, the first full month under lockdown. read more…
Covid-19 pandemic and Ghana’s policy interventions so far
Thomas Agyekum Kyeremeh, Doctoral Researcher, Global Development Institute
The globe is at a critical juncture of a deadly novel pandemic which appears to have taken virtually everyone by surprise. Global leaders, multinational corporations, state institutions, local level organisations, public and private agencies, traditional rulers and religious organizations among others, have all suffered the negative consequences of this virus. In the worst-hit regions of the world, hospitals are overwhelmed and devastated with the sick and dying, while the poor and vulnerable everywhere are facing severe food shortages and starvation. read more…
All in this together? How a decade of austerity cleared the way for Covid-19 in deprived urban areas
Tom Gillespie, Hallsworth Research Fellow, Global Development Institute and Kate Hardy, Associate Professor, University of Leeds
Addressing world leaders on Monday, UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson claimed that ‘it is humanity against the virus – we are in this together’. Sound familiar? ‘All in this together’ was the oft-repeated mantra used to justify cuts to public spending and welfare services during the Cameron-Osbourne austerity years.
Yet, much like austerity, we are clearly not all in this pandemic together. In England and Wales, people are dying from Covid-19 at twice the rate in deprived areas than in affluent areas. The UK government’s strategy during the critical period of early March was to allow coronavirus to spread through the population with a view to achieving ‘herd immunity’, an approach described by Johnson as taking the virus ‘on the chin’. Clearly, some people in some places have had to ‘take it on the chin’ a lot harder than others. read more…
Positive Deviance: A Data-Powered Approach to the Covid-19 Response
Richard Heeks, Professor of Development Informatics, Global Development Institute and Basma Albanna, Researcher, Global Development Institute
Nations around the world are struggling with their response to the Covid-19 pandemic. In particular, they seek guidance on what works best in terms of preventive measures, treatments, and public health, economic and other policies. Can we use the novel approach of data-powered positive deviance to improve the guidance being offered? read more…
In conversation: Seth Schindler & Tom Gillespie on deindustrialisation in the Global South
In this episode, Seth Schindler & Tom Gillespie discuss their new research on deindustrialisation in the cities of the Global South. Seth and Tom have recently published an article on ‘Deindustrialization in cities of the Global South’ with Nicola Banks, Mustafa Kemal Bayırbağ, Himanshu Burte, J. Miguel Kanai & Neha Sami which uses case studies from Argentina, India, Tanzania and Turkey to show the variegated nature of deindustrialisation beyond the North Atlantic. read more…
After the immediate coronavirus crisis: 3 scenarios for global development
David Hulme, Professor of Development Studies, Global Development Institute and Rory Horner, Senior Lecturer in Globalisation and Political Economy, Global Development Institute. First published in the Global Policy Journal.
Abstract
We outline three scenarios for how the world might look once the initial phase of the immediate Covid-19 crisis has passed.
- An ugly scenario of global meltdown
- A bad scenario of a return to the pre-Covid-19 state of climate breakdown and considerable inequality
- A good scenario of a transition towards global sustainable development
Rather than make predictions, we emphasise that a considerable challenge is present to increase the likelihood of the third, so that the most desirable scenario will prevail.
Policy implications:
- Now is the time to think about the future of global development
- Returning to the bad scenario is possible, but the challenge is to ‘not waste the crisis’ and aim for transformation in economic, social and political institutions and norms
- Good global development requires commitments to greater domestic inclusion, as well as stronger international cooperation not just in health, but also related to climate change and addressing global inequality.
Protecting Gig Workers During Covid-19: What Platforms Must Do
The estimated 50 million gig workers worldwide have been particularly hard-hit by the Covid-19 pandemic. How are their platforms responding, and what more should platforms do?
Reports indicate half of gig workers have lost their jobs. Those still working perform functions essential to society, yet they have lost two-thirds of their income on average. Many face the impossible choice between destitution and infection, as summed up by one worker: “either I’m starving or I’m dying of coronavirus”. read more…
Launching the Data Powered Positive Deviance Initiative
For almost a decade, development organizations have used digital human behavioral data, or “digital crumbs,” to gauge responses to the increasingly complex development challenges of the 21st century. Large quantities of data generated from social media interactions, financial transactions, or mobile phone usage allow for insights into people’s behaviors, movements, and choices. When analyzing such data, the common practice has been to focus on the aggregate — the collective behavior of individuals and groups — while discarding extreme observations, or outliers. In cases where outliers are analyzed, the focus is typically on negative outliers such as crime hotspots or high deforestation areas. read more…
So, you’re a social science research student – what does Covid-19 mean for you?
Covid-19 is affecting all of us, but in varying ways. It helps to map some of these diverse effects – and possible responses – for a particular group that we’re part of or support: social science research students. Because Covid-19 is having such far-reaching effects on society, both short- and longer-term, many such students are having to ask themselves how they should, or could, adapt their work. This is especially for students in development-related fields.
Here are some things to consider. A premise of these broad suggestions is that different students will face varying implications of the current crisis, so we encourage you to discuss this with your advisor, mentors, or peers. read more…
Who will survive the coronavirus in Indonesia?
Gindo Tampubolon, Lecturer in Poverty, Global Development Institute
The pandemic of novel coronavirus, SARS-CoV-2, has infected unwitting hosts all around the world. Some estimate suggests up to three in four of a population can be infected with about 4% of those infected contracting a severe level of coronavirus disease (Covid-19), and of those about 1% succumb to death. By the end of March 2020, nearly 30,000 people have died globally. The pandemic is still spreading across countries and within countries. If alarming news from developed countries has dominated the wireless thus far, that from developing countries such as Indonesia is not far behind. And coronavirus can have a catastrophic impact on an already unequal society. read more…