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Latest news from LSE ID
Remembering Thandika Mkandawire: Decolonizing Development in Troubled Times
Professor Kate Meagher reflects on how the life and legacy of Professor Thandika Mkandawire contributes to our understanding of the contemporary challenges of decolonising Development.
International Development celebrates success at the 2026 LSE Impact Prizes
Members of the Department of International Development have been recognised for their outstanding research impact at the 2026 LSE Impact Prizes, with Professor Shirin Madon, Dr Stephanie Levy and Claudia Rodriguez Castellanos all receiving recognition.
The annual LSE Impact Prizes celebrate excellent engagement, impact and impact culture across the School, recognising the ways LSE research contributes to the betterment of society. The 2026 prizes were presented on Wednesday 30 September.
Book authored by Professor Naila Kabeer and published by LSE Press wins prestigious prize
A book authored by Professor Naila Kabeer and published by the School’s non-profit, open access publisher LSE Press has won the 2026 ACLS Open Access Book Prize and Arcadia Open Access Publishing Award. This prize, a joint initiative from the American Council of Learned Societies and Arcadia, recognises exceptional, innovative and open access books.
Professor Elliott Green joins Mauritius’ Vice-President for discussion on the country's national identity
Elliott Green, Professor of Development Studies and co-Deputy Head of Department for Research in LSE's Department of International Development, recently delivered a lecture on Socialism and National Identity in Modern Africa at the University of Mauritius. A leading scholar of development, public goods provision, and ethnic and national identity formation in Africa and beyond, Professor Green's research examines how societies build shared identities while accommodating diversity.
Drawing on his extensive research into nationalism and development, Professor Green examined how socialism and left-wing ideologies are connected to national identification in Sub-Saharan Africa.
Global hunger is an early-warning signal for instability and should shape UK security planning states new report
A new report authored by Professor Stuart Gordon and commissioned by United Against Malnutrition & Hunger was launched on Wednesday 2 September at the Royal United Services Institute (RUSI) in London. Lord Stirrup, former Chief of the Defence Staff and Marshal of the Royal Air Force, delivered the keynote address.
Professor David Lewis delivers keynote at Locarno Film Festival Diplomacy Day
Professor David Lewis recently delivered the closing keynote at Diplomacy Day, a special event at the Locarno Film Festival that brought together voices from diplomacy, philanthropy, civil society, business, academia and culture to explore the future of international cooperation.
Professor Ken Shadlen presents research on pharmaceutical patents in Brazil
Professor Ken Shadlen participated in two academic events in Brazil in August, presenting his research on pharmaceutical patents and contributing to discussions on health regulation, access and innovation.
LSE ID’s Dr Myfanwy James quoted in The New York Times on global epidemic responses
Dr Myfanwy James, Assistant Professor in International Development and Humanitarian Emergencies at the London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE), has been featured in The New York Times exploring the historical and political roots of public mistrust during health crises.
In an article titled "Why Epidemics Breed Rage at Health Workers” examines the roots of mistrust and anger towards epidemic responders, from medieval Europe to modern-day Ebola responses in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC).
Three ID Colleagues Shortlisted for LSE Impact Prize
Three colleagues from the Department of International Development have been shortlisted for the inaugural LSE Impact Prize, a School-wide award recognising outstanding research engagement, societal impact, and impact culture. These include Professor Shirin nominated for Outstanding Impact Culture, Dr Stephanie Levy for Outstanding Individual Impact, and PhD candidate Claudia Rodríguez-Castellanos for Outstanding PhD Impact. Winners will be announced at a special event on 24 June. Congratulations to Shirin, Stephanie and Claudia, and good luck at the awards.
Professor Jean-Paul Faguet contributes to Bolivia’s Agenda 50/50 discussions
Professor Jean-Paul Faguet delivered a keynote address to a high-level group of Bolivian policymakers and technical experts as part of national discussions on the government’s proposed “Agenda 50/50”. The workshop, Taller rumbo a la Agenda 50/50: Diálogo académico con el profesor Jean-Paul Faguet, brought together representatives from key public institutions, including the Viceministries of Coordination and Public Management Modernisation and Autonomies, as well as the State Autonomies Service (SEA).
Dr Myfanwy James featured in The Continent on Ebola outbreak
Dr Myfanwy James has been interviewed and quoted in a recent edition of The Continent, an African newspaper, on the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC). The article, “Ebola: Short-term panic, long-term neglect”, explores the dynamics of the current outbreak in eastern DRC and Uganda, highlighting the complex challenges of disease surveillance, vaccine development, and community trust.
Dr James is part of a group of scholars who have produced a contextual briefing on the Ebola outbreak for policymakers and practitioners engaged in the response. Published in both English and French, the briefing provides practical insights to inform on-the-ground decision-making.
Professor Naila Kabeer Named Finalist for Major Open Access Book Prize
Renegotiating Patriarchy: Gender, Agency and the Bangladesh Paradox (LSE Press, 2024) by Professor Naila Kabeer has been shortlisted as a finalist for the 2026 ACLS Open Access Book Prizes and Arcadia Open Access Publishing Awards.
Read more here.
Professor Student Gordon warns conflict-driven hunger is a political failure, not a food shortage
Professor Stuart Gordon has highlighted the growing link between conflict and global food insecurity in a feature published by the Irish Examiner. In the article, Professor Gordon argues that modern famines are increasingly the result of political decisions rather than natural scarcity.
How the encomienda shaped Colombia's long-run development
Professor Jean-Paul Faguet writes for VoxDex about how extractive institutions shaped development in Colombia. The article co-authored with Fabio Sánchez , Professor of Economics at the University of Los Andes, discusses how a brutal colonial labour system in Colombia ended up paradoxically contributing to stronger local institutions and better long-run development, while still entrenching inequality.
Read the full article here.
LSE Professor Ken Shadlen shares research on pharmaceutical policy during Argentina visit
Professor Ken Shadlen visited Argentina in April to advance research on pharmaceutical patents and the political economy of “generic” medicines markets. During his trip, Professor Shadlen presented findings from two ongoing research projects at universities in Buenos Aires.
Read more here.
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.
Read more 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.
Read more 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.
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