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Latest news from LSE ID
LSE International Development Announces Two New Faculty Appointments in Development Economics for 2026/27
The Department of International is pleased to announce two new faculty appointments in Development Economics for the 2026/27 academic year. Dr Danial Lashkari will join the department as Associate Professor in Development Economics, while Dr Niharika Singh has accepted the post of Assistant Professor in Development Economics, with both appointments commencing in September 2026. More information about the appointments here.
LSE Awards Sustainability Fund Support for South Asia Extreme Heat Research Initiative
The Global School of Sustainability at LSE has awarded funding through its Global Sustainability Research Fund for a new interdisciplinary initiative examining the implications of extreme heat in South Asia. Led by Dr Sohini Kar and Dr Mahvish Shami from the Department of International Development, the project Living with Heat: Sustainability and the Political Economy of Extreme Heat in South Asia will explore how rising temperatures are reshaping livelihoods, governance and economic life across the region. More about the workshop here.
Professor Jean-Paul Faguet on the impact of the Iran War on the global economy
On Sunday 19 April 2026, Professor Jean-Paul Faguet gave an extended interview in Spanish for Corresponsales en Línea, a South American current affairs programme featuring correspondents from Buenos Aires, São Paulo, Paris and Washington, DC. The discussion focused on the impact of the Iran War on the global economy. The interview begins at 14:34 in the linked recording.
Professor Naila Kabeer delivers keynote address at the Ireland India Institute’s 9th Annual South Asia Conference
On Monday 13 April, Professor Naila Kabeer delivered a keynote address at the Ireland India Institute’s 9th Annual South Asia Conference 2026, Turbulence, Transformation, and Resilience: South Asia in a Changing Global Order, held at Dublin City University, where she discussed her book Renegotiating Patriarchy: Gender, Agency and the Bangladesh Paradox. The conference featured panels on political, economic, and social issues, including populism, sustainable development, and media.
Harshita Sinha on India’s migration governance
In a piece for the Indian Express, published on Friday 17 April 2026, Harshita Sinha, a PhD candidate in the Department of International Development argues that India’s governance architecture was not built around migrants' journeys, whether across districts or across borders. The article was co-authored with Bhargabi Ghosh.
Professor Tiziana Leone presents paper on fertility and lifetime crises in Indonesia at LUISS university Rome
On Wednesday 15 April 2026, Professor Tiziana Leone was invited to present a seminar on “Fertility and lifetime crises in Indonesia: 50 years of weather-related disasters” at LUISS University in Rome. The seminar was chaired by Professor Maria Rita Testa and was attended by political scientists, including philosophers and historical economists.
Professor Naila Kabeer on gender, agency and the quality of growth
Professor Naila Kabeer shared lessons from her book on Renegotiating Patriarchy for an article in The Daily Star (Bangladesh) published on Saturday 11 April 2026. The article argues that Bangladesh’s social progress shows how gender equality through women’s education and employment can improve growth, wellbeing, and long-term development, and that the country’s future depends on investing in an inclusive, gender-equitable knowledge economy. Watch a short reel of the article here.
Is war more profitable than peace? David Keen Talks to Al Jazeera
As the United States–Israel war on Iran intensifies, Professor David Keen shared his insights in an interview with Neave Barker for Talk to Al Jazeera, aired on Sunday 5 April 2026.
Keen explored why some conflicts persist without a decisive outcome, arguing that war is not always driven by the pursuit of victory alone. Instead, it can function as a tool for political control, economic gain and the consolidation of power, creating systems that often endure beyond the battlefield.
Pointing to dynamics such as sanctions, smuggling networks, military spending and the mobilisation of “useful enemies”, he explained how violence can become embedded and even functional. His analysis suggests that the key challenge is not simply ending war, but making peace more attractive than the incentives that sustain it.
Watch the full interview for Talk to Al Jazeera here.
Strengthening Interdisciplinary Partnership in Gender and Development Teaching
The Department of International Development is launching a new teaching partnership with the Department of Gender Studies for the 2026/27 academic year.
The collaboration will allow students from both departments to take selected courses across programmes, including a new opportunity for International Development students to study feminist perspectives on transnational development, and for Gender Studies students to access courses on poverty and sexual and reproductive health.
Overall, the partnership aims to strengthen interdisciplinary learning, broaden perspectives on global challenges, and enhance the student experience through shared teaching and expertise.
Professor Ken Shadlen delivers annual lecture at Pasteur Institute
On Tuesday 3 March, Professor Ken Shadlen delivered his annual lecture on global vaccine technology transfer, production, and inequality as part of a vaccinology course at the Pasteur Institute. The lecture formed part of the course “Pandemic Vaccine Innovation and Access: Looking Back, Looking Ahead,” which brings together around 25 scientists from Africa, Asia, and Latin America. Run by vaccine researchers at the institute, the four-week programme focuses primarily on the science of vaccine development, with participants working on developing vaccine candidates during the course. Since 2023, the programme has also incorporated sessions on the social science dimensions of vaccines and global health. Professor Shadlen’s lecture, typically delivered in the third week, examines the political economy of vaccine production and the inequalities that shape access to vaccine technologies worldwide.
Professor David Lewis on strategies for resilient entrepreneurship in Sri Lanka
Professor David Lewis was part of a high-level discussion titled “Sri Lanka: Strategies for Resilient Entrepreneurship” hosted by Genesis Dilmah Centre for a Sustainable Future and LSE South Asia Centre in Colombo on Monday 23 March. The panel also included Dilhan C. Fernando (Chairman and CEO of Dilmah, also an LSE alumnus). More about the event here.
Jean-Paul Faguet Presents at European Journal of Political Economy Conference
Last week, Jean-Paul Faguet presented his latest research, “Cleavage Shift and Political Collapse and Rebirth in Bolivia,” at the European Journal of Political Economy conference, held in Davos, Switzerland on 2–3 February.
The conference brought together leading political economy scholars from across Europe, North America and beyond, offering a vibrant forum for the exchange of new ideas and research. Jean-Paul’s presentation contributed to ongoing debates on political realignment, institutional change and democratic resilience in Latin America.
Remembering Professor Tim Allen, Former Head of our Department
The Department of International Development is deeply saddened by the passing of Professor Tim Allen. Tim joined the Department in 1997, later served as Head of Department, and went on to become the Director of the Firoz Lalji Institute for Africa (FLIA). One of his long‑standing colleagues, Professor David Keen, shares the following tribute on behalf of the Department.
Professor Ken Shadlen presents COVID-19 vaccine IP research with European Commission
On Wednesday 28 January, Professor Ken Shadlen presented findings from his British Academy–funded project, Lessons from the COVID-19 pandemic for IP licensing practices in vaccine production, at the European Commission. The meeting, attended by around 30 participants, was organised by DG GROW and brought together officials from DG TRADE, DG RTD, DG HERA, DG SANTE, and other Commission services. The project is based at Queen Mary University of London, and involves collaborators in Belgium, Denmark, and Poland. From LSE, contributors include Professor Shadlen and Dr Eduardo Mercadante (PhD 2025).
Professor Kathy Hochstetler on Energy Transition in Brazil: An Overview of Progress and Social Justice Dilemmas
Professor Kathy Hochstetler has written a report for UNRISD, Energy Transition in Brazil: An Overview of Progress and Social Justice Dilemmas. The article examines Brazil’s energy transition, focusing on the social justice challenges of shifting from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy while addressing inequality and protecting workers, communities and vulnerable groups.