The Institute of Development Studies (IDS) is a leading global institution for development research, teaching and learning, and impact and communications, based at the University of Sussex.
Our vision is of equal and sustainable societies, locally and globally, where everyone can live secure, fulfilling lives free from poverty and injustice. We believe passionately that cutting-edge research, knowledge and evidence are crucial in shaping the changes needed for our broader vision to be realised, and to support people, societies and institutions to navigate the challenges ahead.
Through our commitment to engaged excellence we work towards transformations that reduce inequalities, accelerate sustainability and build more inclusive and secure societies. We do this neither as a university organisation nor a thinktank, but by combining elements of both in a unique mix that is articulated in our engaged excellence approach.
Since 1966 IDS has been working with partners to tackle complex development challenges and contribute the evidence, analysis, theory and facilitated learning that can help communities, practitioners and decision-makers at all levels work together for practical, positive change. Our partnership with the University of Sussex supports and accredits our teaching and learning programmes, where in PhD studies and a range of high-level Masters’ courses we aim to produce a new generation of development thought, policy and practice leaders.
The Institute is home to approximately 100 researchers affiliated to thematic research clusters, 70 knowledge professionals, 65 professional staff and about 200 students at any one time. But the IDS community extends far beyond, encompassing an extensive network of over over 360 partners, 3,000 alumni and hundreds of former staff.
Resources
Displaying 26 - 30 of 36Gender and Citizenship: Supporting Resources Collection
Citizenship is an abstract concept and therefore great care must be taken in explaining what it means in practice and what can effectively be done in the context of development interventions and policy. Development projects which enhance the ability of marginalised groups to access and influence decision-making bodies are implicitly if not explicitly working with concepts of citizenship. Citizenship is about concrete institutions, policy and structures and the ways in which people can shape them using ideas of rights and participation.
Land reform and sustainable livelihoods in South Africa's Eastern Cape province
This paper examines the experiences of implementation of land reform policies in the Eastern Cape through a series of case studies.It looks at how attempts at redistribution, restitution and land tenure reform have resulted in a variety of models and approaches.
Rural development, institutional change and livelihoods in the Eastern Cape, South Africa: a case study of Mdudwa Village
This paper looks at the case of Mdudwa village in the Eastern Cape to explore the processes and impacts of democratic decentralisation.
Só para o Inglese ver: the policy and practice of tenure reform in Mozambique
This paper examines the fundamentals of Mozambican land policy from a livelihoods perspective and identifies considerable potential for improving the sustainability of rural livelihoods and the flexibility and cost effectiveness of policy instruments aimed at increasing security of tenure.The paper examines the impact of the cancellation of private land applications in one province, and argues that, notwithstanding the apparent official reluctance to implement this element of the policy, the impact has been almost wholly beneficial for local community groups.Challenges to land policy framew
Wild resources theme paper (sustainable livelihoods)
This paper provides background information on access to natural resources in Southern Africa. Case studies are used from Botswana, Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, to explore customary rights and de facto access to a wide range of wild resources, in particular those of greatest importance to the rural poor.