Institute of Development Studies

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1999: Volume 30

Globalisation and the Governance of the Environment

Volume 30 Number 3 July 1999

It is sometimes argued that the term ‘globalisation’ is misleading because it describes a trend which is largely confined to the relations between a small number of highly industrialised states and firms operating within East Asia, North America and Europe. This Bulletin demonstrates, however, that it is a process with repercussions extending far beyond the power centres of the global economy, to the lives of most people. In particular, it refers to the impact of the internationalisation of trade, production and finance upon the world of environmental politics. The Bulletin focuses on change in the institutions and actors working on the environment, brought about by the developments taking place in the global economy. At the same time, it highlights how these actors are shaping the course of that economic change. 

Nationalising The Anti-Poverty Agenda?

Volume 30 Number 2 May 1999

The New Poverty Agenda, along with many other neo-liberal orthodoxies of the 1980s and early 1990s is withering away as rapid political and ideological shifts take place at the global level and within the domain of international development policy. Whilst this Bulletin celebrates that fact, it also urges caution.

First, because these are changes in attitude, not a great breakthrough in actually doing anything to reduce poverty.

Second, because neo-liberalism will not disappear over night but will remain influential for years to come.

Third, the Bulletin questions whether an internationally-defined anti-poverty agenda is really a good thing and will not serve to undermine rather than enhance anti-poverty efforts. It queries whether in fact we should seek to nationalise rather than internationalise the anti-poverty agenda in poor countries.

East Asia: What Happened to the Development Miracle?

Volume 30 Number 1 January 1999

This Bulletin presents the key background papers from a major conference on the East Asian Crisis held at IDS in July 1998. A group of experts from different backgrounds, including international finance, macroeconomic and social policy, and development strategy, came together to discuss the causes of the crisis. With a foreword by Clare Short MP, this Bulletin offers different perspectives on events and discusses how future crises might be better managed or even prevented.

1998: Volume 29

Micro-Credit: Impact, Targeting and Sustainability

Volume 29 Number 4 October 1998 Edited by: Saurabh Sinha

This IDS Bulletin on ‘Microfinance’ has grown out of a workshop on ‘Recent Research on Microfinance: Implications for Policy’, held at IDS in February, 1998 and organised by the Poverty Research Unit at Sussex (PRUS). The workshop brought together the extraordinary diversity of recently completed and on-going research in the UK, to discuss how research output can inform policy for better outcomes. Participants included people with different perspectives on the issue, from academics to donors and policy makers. While not confined to it, the discussion drew many lessons from the wider experience on microfinance in South Asia, particularly Bangladesh. The workshop covered three broad themes of impact assessment, rural financial sector linkages, and incentive structures. Discussion on these themes was structured around fourteen papers. The proceedings of the workshop have been published. Four papers presented at the workshop have been selected and revised for the Bulletin. The emphasis is primarily on original work that has not been published elsewhere. In addition, there are six invited contributions. It is hoped that the outcome is a comprehensive review of the state of the art, which identifies both practical proposals and a research agenda. The workshop was funded by the Department for International Development (DFID), to whom grateful acknowledgement is made, but to whom no responsibility is attributed.

Transition to What? Restarting Development After Communism

Volume 29 Number 3 July 1998 Edited by: Thomas Lines

This Bulletin examines the European and Asian countries which are reforming formally Communist centrally-planned economies and one-party states. It goes beyond the frequent preoccupation with monetary policy and measures of economic openness to examine a multi-faceted phenomenon involving all areas of social , political and economic life. Topics include the development of new economic and legal institutions, the sociology of entrepreneurship and trends in the labour market and the mass media in a range of countries from Albania top Russia, Kazakstan and Vietnam.