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Home»GSDRC Publications » Topic Guide

Topic Guides

Our Topic Guides aim to provide a clear, concise and objective report on findings from rigorous research on critical areas of development policy. They highlight the key debates and evidence on the topic of focus, including on approaches and lessons. They are produced in close collaboration with international experts and with practitioners in DFID.

The legitimacy of states and armed non-state actors

Topic Guide
  • Aoife McCullough
August 2015
Somalia (UN Photo/Stuart Price)

Legitimacy is a crucial aspect of all power relations. Without legitimacy, power is exerted through coercion; with legitimacy, power can be exerted through voluntary or quasi-voluntary compliance. Legitimacy lies at the core of state-citizen relationships and thus of the whole state-building agenda. This Topic Guide explores the meaning of legitimacy in relation to state and ...» more

Public sector institutional reform

Topic Guide
  • Anuradha Joshi,
  • Becky Carter
May 2015

The public sector is the single most important investment instrument for the state, and improving the way it is managed is critical for development outcomes including service delivery, social protection and private sector regulation. Public sector governance reform involves institutional reform – that is, changing the rules and norms that govern public sector activity. How can ...» more

Gender and conflict

Topic Guide
  • Anna Louise Strachan,
  • Huma Haider
April 2015

What do we know about the role of gender inequality in producing or exacerbating the structural causes of violence and conflict, and about the multi-layered effects of violence and conflict on gender relations? What do we know about how to support gender equality in fragile and conflict-affected situations (FCAS)? This Topic Guide introduces the research evidence. ...» more

Human rights

Topic Guide
  • Jo Crichton; Huma Haider; Ellie Chowns; Evie Browne
March 2015

This topic guide provides an introduction to the interactions and links between human rights and international development. Human rights are increasingly visible in international development language, policies and programmes. Human rights, and the principles they are based on, are argued to improve the effectiveness of development programmes. But beyond that, a human rights ...» more

Inclusive growth

Topic Guide
  • Kyle Alexander
January 2015

Absolute poverty has fallen substantially over the last 30 years, with most of this reduction attributable to rapid economic growth in developing countries. Yet growth often does not meet the needs of the poor. Economic growth in the absence of measures to ensure the sustained equitable distribution of its benefits has frequently perpetuated the concentration of wealth in the ...» more

Tax reform

Topic Guide
  • Sumedh Rao
December 2014

Tax reform can reduce tax evasion and avoidance, and allow for more efficient and fair tax collection that can finance public goods and services. It can make revenue levels more sustainable, and can promote future independence from foreign aid and natural resource revenues. There is increasing recognition of taxation’s role in state-building, in addition to greater ...» more

Political economy analysis

Topic Guide
  • Claire Mcloughlin
December 2014

Political economy analysis (PEA) aims to situate development interventions within an understanding of the prevailing political and economic processes in society – specifically, the incentives, relationships, and distribution and contestation of power between different groups and individuals. Such an analysis can support more politically feasible and therefore more effective ...» more

Political systems

Topic Guide
  • Zoë Scott; Claire Mcloughlin
December 2014

Political systems are the formal and informal political processes by which decisions are made concerning the use, production and distribution of resources in any given society. Formal political institutions can determine the process for electing leaders; the roles and responsibilities of the executive and legislature; the organisation of political representation (through ...» more

Decentralisation and local government

Topic Guide
  • Sumedh Rao; Zoë Scott; Munawwar Alam
November 2014

Estimates suggest that decentralisation is being pursued in over 80% of developing countries worldwide. For many people, local government is the part of government that most directly impacts on their lives, particularly via the provision of services like water, sanitation, and primary education and healthcare. Further resources The following resources were included in GSDRC's ...» more

Service delivery

Topic Guide
  • Claire Mcloughlin,
  • Zoe Scott
November 2014

Equitable access to essential public services is vital for human development, inclusive growth, and tackling persistent inequality. This topic guide provides an overview of the best available evidence on inclusive service delivery. It includes lessons from cases where aid has been effective at addressing weak front-line incentives, where services have been delivered in very ...» more

Inclusive institutions

Topic Guide
  • Becky Carter
September 2014
Jessica Lea / DFID: Peer educator, Rihanata Ouedraogo, leads a group discussion on FGM/C in Burkina Faso

Institutions are the formal and informal rules and norms that structure citizens’ rights, entitlements, opportunities and voice. How can policymakers and practitioners support inclusive institutions to promote development that ‘leaves no-one behind’? What do we know about what has – or hasn't – worked, and where? This Topic Guide synthesises the evidence, debates and approaches ...» more

Sequencing reforms in fragile states

Topic Guide
  • Siân Herbert
September 2014

How can governments in fragile and conflict affected states (FCAS) plan and manage reforms when everything is urgent and important, and when capacity and resources are low? How can external actors strategically support the fulfilment of essential and expected state functions? This Topic Guide provides an overview of the evidence that examines the sequencing of statebuilding and ...» more

Voice, empowerment and accountability

Topic Guide
  • Emilie Combaz; Claire Mcloughlin
August 2014

Voice, empowerment and accountability (VEA) interventions aim to support poor and marginalised people to build the resources, assets, and capabilities they need to exercise greater choice and control over their own development, and to hold decision-makers to account. This guide provides an overview of the best available evidence on the impact of VEA interventions. It identifies ...» more

Conflict sensitivity

Topic Guide
  • Huma Haider
August 2014

Reflection among aid actors after the devastating genocide in Rwanda led to the realisation that humanitarian and development actors contributed to increasing tensions and exacerbating the conflict. Aid interventions have since been understood to become a part of the context – and in conflict settings, to become part of the conflict. This acknowledgement that aid is not neutral ...» more

Conflict

Topic Guide
  • Huma Haider; Brigitte Rohwerder
July 2014

Conflict is inherent in all societies and arises when two or more groups believe their interests are incompatible. ‘Conflict’ is not, however, interchangeable with ‘violence’. Non-violent resolution is possible when individuals and groups have trust in their governing structures, society and institutions to manage incompatible interests. Conflict becomes a problem when this ...» more

Statebuilding and peacebuilding

Topic Guide
  • Huma Haider; Anna Louise Strachan
July 2014

Statebuilding and peacebuilding, while conceptually distinct, are becoming more closely integrated in academic and policy circles. This Topic Guide looks at the links (and tensions) between statebuilding and peacebuilding, how these activities interact, and how they can be approached in practice. A related Guide looks at State-Society Relations and Citizenship in Situations of ...» more

Gender

Topic Guide
  • Ann Kangas; Huma Haider; Erika Fraser; Evie Browne
July 2014

Gender is a way of looking at how social norms and power structures affect different groups of men and women. Understanding that men and women, boys and girls experience poverty differently, and face different barriers in accessing services, economic resources and political opportunities, helps to target interventions. ...» more

Disaster resilience

Topic Guide
  • Emilie Combaz
February 2014

The impacts of disasters on development, poverty and vulnerability have led to calls for improving disaster resilience – the capacity to cope with and adapt to shocks and stresses associated with natural hazards. What do we know about what can enable or constrain disaster resilience? This Topic Guide for policymakers and practitioners synthesises the evidence, approaches and ...» more

Civil service reform

Topic Guide
  • Sumedh Rao
October 2013

Improving a country's civil service can further development goals. Reforming the civil service is important in improving governance, service delivery, economic policy and public financial management. What do we know about what has – or hasn't – worked in civil service reform, and where? What lessons emerge from the literature? ...» more

International legal frameworks for humanitarian action

Topic Guide
  • Huma Haider
January 2013

International legal frameworks for humanitarian action provide guidance on delivering assistance in a variety of challenging contexts. They can also be powerful tools in advocating for, and achieving, the protection of civilians. ...» more

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Outputs supported by FCDO are © FCDO Crown Copyright 2021; outputs supported by the Australian Government are © Australian Government 2021; and outputs supported by the European Commission are © European Union 2021

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