Institutions & Political Economy

Ed Glaeser on the perfect city, the demons of density and what makes cities work

What does a perfect city look like in a low- or middle-income country – and how do you get there?

Edward Glaeser

Published

12.05.26

Women, Life, Freedom: How the 2022 protest movement reshaped Iran

Iran’s 2022 protest movement, ‘Women, Life, Freedom’, revealed the extent of public support for women’s rights. The regime made no legal concessions, yet behaviour changed.

Institutions & Political Economy

Avenia Ghazarian

Published

26.05.26

C’est la Vie! How a popular West African edutainment series changed minds, but not behaviours

A West African TV series in Senegal led to short- and medium-term gains in knowledge and attitudes around violence against women and sexual and reproductive health, though impacts on behaviours were limited, and a podcast version extending content du...

Institutions & Political Economy

Malick Dione Jessica Heckert Melissa Hidrobo Agnès Le Port Amber Peterman Moustapha Seye

Published

12.05.26

Leonard Wantchekon on youth, governance and Africa's urban future

Why Leonard Wantchekon is hopeful for Africa's urban future.

Institutions & Political Economy

Leonard Wantchekon Oliver Hanney Kurtis Lockhart

Published

05.05.26

How the encomienda shaped Colombia's long-run development

In Colombia, municipalities subjected to the Spanish encomienda – a colonial system of forced indigenous labour – are wealthier and better governed today, in spite of the extractive institution imposed on them.

Institutions & Political Economy

Jean-Paul Faguet Fabio Sánchez

Published

05.05.26

Understanding development in the long run: Cracks in the consensus on institutions?

New evidence from colonial history is challenging the consensus that extractive institutions always harm long-run development, showing that outcomes depend on whether extraction left behind durable public infrastructure and state capacity.

Institutions & Political Economy

Jean-Paul Faguet Fabio Sánchez

Published

05.05.26

The Future of Development: Approaches and Partnerships for a New Reality

Institutions & Political Economy

Mark Suzman Mark Green W. Gyude Moore Vera Songwe

28.04.26

What comes next? A conversation with Gates Foundation CEO and development leaders

Chris Blattman on how crime takes over cities

How does organised crime take over a city – and can mayors act before it does?

Institutions & Political Economy

Christopher Blattman

Published

28.04.26

How does evidence diffuse through organisations?

Sharing research evidence with senior rather than junior staff significantly raises the chance it spreads through an organisation, but shifting peer beliefs about the evidence has no clear effect.

Institutions & Political Economy

Mahvish Shaukat Andreas Stegmann Mattie Toma

Published

29.04.26

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