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Development policy: don't overpromise and underdeliver

Janus, Heiner / Tim Röthel (2025)
External Publications

In view of massive funding cuts, donor countries should not overload development cooperation with secondary objectives, but focus on improving people’s living conditions.

Foreign aid transparency amid politicization

Janus, Heiner / Tim Röthel (2025)
External Publications

Economic self-interest in German development policy: what might that look like?

Altenburg, Tilman / Babette Never / Rita Strohmaier (2025)
Policy Brief 14/2025

Calls for development policy to place greater emphasis on national self-interest are growing louder. We set out five guidelines for a development policy strategy that takes due consideration of Germany’s own interests without harming the partner countries.

Eine kohärente Migrations- und Flüchtlingsstrategie ist überfällig

Kuhnt, Jana / Mark Furness (2025)
External Publications

Migration wird in Deutschland oft verzerrt und polarisiert diskutiert – dabei ist sie dringend notwendig. Und das Leugnen dieser Realität behindert weiterhin die Entwicklung einer kohärenten nationalen Strategie.

Let’s be honest – both Sweden and Germany need the immigrants

Kuhnt, Jana / Mark Furness (2025)
External Publications

Population growth due to immigration is often portrayed as a problem rather than a success. This is deeply problematic, not least because Sweden – like Germany – depends on immigration to meet its growing labour market needs

Beyond nature-based solutions: the case for integrated nature-climate action

Folkard-Tapp, Hollie / Idil Boran / Sander Chan / Ines Dombrowsky / Tarra L. Penney / Dawn Bazely / Fidele Ruzigandekwe / Angele Alook / Nathalie Pettorelli (2025)
External Publications

Russia's role in UN development work: influence without investment?

Novoselova, Anna (2025)
Policy Brief 15/2025

Global balance of power is shifting, and UN development work faces significant strains. How is Russia positioning itself? The policy brief explores Moscow’s approach to development, the narratives it advances, and the influence it projects in the UN development pillar.

Nachhaltige Entwicklung, Umwelt- und Klimaschutz

Bauer, Steffen (2025)
External Publications

Deutschland und die Unterstützung des Wiederaufbaus der Ukraine

Bergmann, Julian (2025)
External Publications

Measuring sustainable development progress in Peru using multivariate latent Markov models

Roscioli, Federico / Daniele Malerba / Alessio Farcomeni (2025)
External Publications

Governance theories and digitalisation: four conjectures for the Mexican case

Porras, Francisco (2025)
Discussion Paper 27/2025

Explore how digitalisation reshapes governance in Mexico. This paper proposes four conjectures on how governments, academia, NGOs, and media can leverage digital tools for cooperation, problem-solving, and sustainable development.

Strategic humanitarian aid, trust in Europe and support for authoritarianism

Sinanoglu, Semuhi (2025)
Discussion Paper 28/2025

What happens when donors admit humanitarian aid is strategic? An experiment in Turkey shows it undercuts regime propaganda and builds trust in Europe among conservative Eurosceptic voters.

Civil Society at a Narrative Crossroads

Online, 04. September 2025

Civic space is narrowing and civil society actors are facing growing pressure from repression to narratives that challenge their legitimacy. At the same time, initiatives like the Global Gateway reflect a shifting landscape in international cooperation, where strategic interests and democratic values increasingly intersect. This webinar…

Three topics for a repositioning of the UN’s development arm

Baumann, Max-Otto (2025)
The Current Column, 08. September 2025

The comprehensive UN80 reform initiative may primarily be a response to financial constraints, but it also offers an opportunity to reposition the UN.

Job Announcement: Research Assistant (f/m/diverse), Department “Transformation of Economic and Social Systems”

To support research staff with different tasks, the Department “Transformation of Economic and Social Systems” at IDOS is looking for a research assistant.

Tax expenditures country report: the United Kingdom

Sinfield, Adrian (2025)
Books

Understanding Africa-EU Relations from a Decolonial Perspective

Pretoria, South Africa, 11. September 2025

Background This year marks 25 years since the inaugural EU-Africa Summit was held in Cairo. Some weeks ago, on the 21 st of May, EU and AU foreign ministers convened in Brussels for the first time in several years, and the next AU-EU summit of heads of state and government will take place in Angola on 24 and 25 November. New initiatives…

Head of Department “Transformation of Economic and Social Systems” with Professorship in Göttingen (f/m/diverse)

The University of Göttingen and the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS) invite applications for the following position effective at the earliest possible date a Head of Research Department “Transformation of Economic and Social Systems” combined with a Professorship in Development Economics and Sustainability Policy (f/m/diverse)

Internship in the MGG Academy Team: International Cooperation and Event Management

To support our team, we are looking for an intern (f/m/diverse) to assist in the preparation and implementation of the MGG Academy for a period of three months, starting 18 August 2025.

Katharina Bissinger

Katharina Bissinger is Economist and Reasearcher of the Research Programme "Transformation of Economic and Social Systems"