WIDERAngle

Expert commentary from our network

How India’s economy has fared under ten years of Narendra Modi

More than 960 million Indians will head to the polls in the world’s biggest election between April 19 and early June. The ruling Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), which is led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is seeking a third term in office. And the polls suggest it will achieve this objective.If one was to go by economic growth figures alone, the Modi government’s performance has been impressive. When Modi came to power in 2014, economic growth was sluggish. A series of high-profile corruption...

Affirmative action in Brazil’s higher education system

by Rodrigo Oliveira, Edson Severnini, Alei Santos
Evidence from Brazil shows how affirmative action students in the higher education system adjust their behaviour to catch up with initially higher-performing privileged students.Affirmative action (AA) policies, aiming to address historical inequalities and promote social justice, have sparked debates across the world. Brazil, in particular, grapples with the challenges and complexities of AA, notably through Law 12,711/2012, which introduced the quota policy mandating all federal universities...

Decoding development – insights from UNU-WIDER's synthesis process and beyond

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At UNU-WIDER, we undertake our work explicitly within the context of an emergent strategy designed to maximize the impact of our research findings. We operate based on a theory of change that outlines how research eventually translates into improved development outcomes for the world’s most vulnerable populations.In 2023, we published the report Towards peace, decent work, and greater equality to guide policy efforts to achieve the United Nations Agenda 2030. This report synthesizes the key...

50 Blogpost

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Realizing socioeconomic rights with a limited budget

The South African constitution is considered progressive and transformative in intention due to its inclusion of socioeconomic rights, such as the...

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Climate resilient development needs effective co-operation
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The rise of resilience policy in sustainable development Climate resilience is an increasingly popular response to development in a time of polycrisis...

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Sustainable Cities Discussion Forum: Cities have important role in mitigating climate threats
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'Our window to avoid climate catastrophe is closing rapidly, and yet there are still many reasons for optimism.' This statement sums up a recent third...

Research Brief
Technology, tourism, malls, and metros

There is growing recognition around the world that tradable services can play a valuable role in economic development. Africa is no exception, with the need for multiple routes to growth, particularly vis-à-vis the COVID-19 pandemic. Tradable...

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Book review of Resurgent Asia: Diversity in Development: Completing a trilogy on Asia’s transformation
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Deepak Nayyar — economist, thinker, leading scholar — has written yet another splendid book. Resurgent Asia: Diversity in Development, together with...

Research Brief
Can trade in services bolster regional development in Southern Africa?

Service exports are the fastest growing portion of world trade and now account for nearly a quarter of global exports. Tradable services contribute to economic growth and development by bolstering industrial capabilities, facilitating productivity...

Research Brief
Deepening regional integration in Southern Africa

Regional integration is making steady progress in Southern Africa, leading to the development of regional value chains (RVCs) that could strengthen the competitiveness of the region. Importantly, the development of RVCs also creates pressure for...

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From Africa rising to rising debt in Africa: The looming debt crisis
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Africa’s rising public debt continues to attract increased attention regionally and internationally. The narrative about Africa seems to have...

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Responding to crises: What can we do? What’s next?
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Although sometimes over used, the word 'crisis' accurately describes many challenges of today's world, such as climage change, war and refugees...

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Celebrating 30 years of research for development
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The celebration of the 30th Anniversary of UNU-WIDER presented the ideal opportunity to look back, take stock, and plan ahead. Where else can a group...

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Economic Lessons from Recent Research for Achieving SDG8
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This article is part of UNU’s “17 Days, 17 Goals” series, featuring research and commentary in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development...

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Joseph Stiglitz and Amartya Sen on the Sustainable Development Goals
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World leaders are now meeting at a special UN summit from 25–27 September to formally adopt the SDGs, which will then be implemented from 1 January...

Research Brief
Clustering, competition, and spillover effects in Cambodia

What types of businesses benefit or suffer due to geographic clustering? Data available from Cambodia on competition and spillovers—at both village- and commune-level—is useful to answer a number of questions about the effects of clustering and the...

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The Future of Development – Aid and Beyond
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Just over a year ago, in March 2014, UNU-WIDER published a report entitled: What do we know about aid as we approach 2015? It notes the many successes...

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Institutions and Impact – Some Reflections on the UNU-WIDER Method
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I have spent much of the last two years on behalf of UNU-WIDER engaged in thinking about these two issues, but only on this current trip to Toronto...

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