"The passing of an intellectual giant"

We are saddened to announce the passing of Professor Thandika Mkandawire. He was a brilliant and creative thinker, a generator of great ideas, and, above all, a wonderful person. His work inspired many and has shaped the way we understand African development. We will all miss him dearly. Our thoughts go out to his family.

"With him we are witnessing the passing of an intellectual giant in Development Studies."  - Professor James Putzel

Read about Professor Mkandawire's life and contribution to development studies in this interview with colleague and friend, Professor Kate Meagher. 

Celebrating Women in ID 

We celebrated International Women's Month 2020 by interviewing three women in the department at different stages of their academic career: Dr Kate Meagher, Dr Tiziana Leone and Dr Sandra Sequeira. They tell us about their career journeys, highlights and barriers they have faced as well as what hopes they have for the International Development industry. The interviews were conducted by MSc Human Rights student, and podcaster, Cherry Agarwal. 

Listen to the podcast series here.

Dr Sequeira and Dr Weigel on corruption

As part of LSE's award-winning IQ podcast series, Dr Sandra Sequeira and Dr Jonathan Weigel were interviewed to share their research findings for an episode exploring the effects of corruption on a nation’s economic prosperity and reputation. 


Listen to this episode here.

Rethinking fieldwork  

The Firoz Lalji Centre for Africa have published a new series on ethics and identity in the process of fieldwork. Although the series is focussed on Africa, it can also be applied to qualitative research more generally. 


Read the series here. 

Professor Kathryn Hochstetler on Chico Mendes

Professor Kathryn Hochstetler was interviewed by BBC Radio 4 for their programme on the assassination of Chico Mendes as part of their Green Originals series.

The series assesses the work and impact of the pioneering scientists, campaigners and communicators of the last 60 years who have influence our opinion and behaviour on the environment.

Listen to the programme here.

1st Environment x Women’s Health Workshop in London

Submissions for presentations at the 1st Environment x Women’s Health Workshop in London are now being accepted. This is a 1-day multidisciplinary, multi-sector workshop and submissions are invited from anyone with an interest in environmental effects on women’s health. 

Following COVID-19 concerns the workshop has been postponed to September 4 2020. The submission deadline has been extended to Midnight 15th July. Organisers will continue to monitor both Public Health England and LSE guidance, so please keep an eye on their website for further updates. 

Submissions and updates here. 

Professor Shadlen on licensing for Covid-19 products

You can read the full article here. 

Overcoming Boko Haram: a book and a conversation on Islamic extremism in West Africa 

On Tuesday 10 March, the Department of International Development hosted a book launch to celebrate the launch of Overcoming Boko Haram: Faith, Society & Islamic Radicalization in Northern Nigeria.

The book, edited by Abdul Raufu Mustapha and Kate Meagher, looks beyond the details of the insurgency to examine the wider social and political processes that explain why Boko Haram emerged when and where it did, and what forces exist within society to contain it. Drawing on the detailed fieldwork of specialist Nigerian and Nigerianist scholars from Nigeria, connecting the worst of Boko Haram violence to the wider realities of the present, the book offers new insights into the drivers of Islamic extremism in Nigeria - poverty, regional inequality, environmental stress, migration, youth unemployment, and state corruption and human rights abuses - with a view to charting more sustainable paths out of the conflict.

The panel for the event was comprised of Kate Meagher, Professor Funmi Olonisakin and Aoife McCullough, and Professor Catherine Boone (Chair).

🎧 Listen again here

Economic Development in Asia: learning from a half-century of transformations

On Wednesday 4 March, the Department of International Development hosted a public lecture with Deepak Nayyar, Emeritus Professor of Economics at Jawaharlal Nehru University. The lecture analysed the phenomenal transformation of Asia, which would have been difficult to imagine, let alone predict, fifty years ago. The analytical conclusions drawn contribute to contemporary debates on development, and highlight some lessons from the Asian experience for countries elsewhere.

The event was chaired by Professor Kathy Hochstetler.

🎧 Listen again here