This article examines the role of the democratic emerging powers - India, Brazil, South Africa, Indonesia, and Turkey - in promoting democracy beyond their own borders. It argues that while these countries have potential advantages compared to western democracy promoters, namely, their own experiences in transitioning from authoritarian to democratic rule and their greater ...» more
Library
This e-library contains more than 4500 external publications on governance, social development, conflict and humanitarian issues. It includes academic and grey literature selected for its basis in good quality research and coverage of a range of perspectives. Policy-oriented summaries of each document are provided, plus links to the full text.
Real Innovation or Second-Best Solution? First experiences from results-based aid for fiscal decentralisation in Ghana and Tanzania
This paper systematically records first experiences with results-based aid (RBA) for fiscal decentralisation in Ghana and Tanzania. Results-based aid is an innovative aid modality that links funding to the achievement of pre-agreed results, based on a contract between the donor and the recipient country. The study finds that the modality holds great potential in incentivising ...» more
The technical is political: understanding the political implications of sector characteristics for the delivery of drinking water services
This brief aims to help bridge the gap between governance and sector specialists by examining the politics and governance of water supply through a technical, ‘sector characteristics’ lens. The characteristics of sectors have largely been considered technicalities, but new research is illustrating that they also have political implications.The study focuses on drinking water ...» more
The Median Is the Message: A Good-Enough Measure of Material Well-Being and Shared Development Progress
This paper argues that survey-based median household consumption expenditure (or income) per capita should be incorporated into standard development indicators, as a simple, robust, and durable indicator of typical individual material well-being in a country. Using household survey data available for low- and middle-income countries from the World Bank’s PovcalNet tool, the ...» more
Stunted Growth: Why Don’t African Firms Create More Jobs?
Many countries in Africa suffer high rates of underemployment or low rates of productive employment; many also anticipate large numbers of people to enter the workforce in the near future. This paper asks the question: Are African firms creating fewer jobs than those located in other parts of the world? And, if so, why? One reason may be that weak business environments slow ...» more