Durable inequalities both within and between nations, present the most significant obstacle to promoting democratic, inclusive, and sustainable development. The Institute's research in development includes the study of racial, ethnic, and class inequality, national and sub-national governance, urban transformation, democracy and civil society, and social provisioning. The relationship between development and globalization is also an area of focus and includes work on international aid and finance, transnational movements, comparative development and global governance.
Development
Development
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Research Briefs
News from Watson
Human Capital Investment in the Presence of Child Labor
New research by the Watson School's Bryce Millett Steinberg, funded by the Orlando Bravo Center for Economic Research, finds that early childhood interventions in places with high child labor rates lead to reduced schooling.
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News from Watson
John Friedman Testifies on Social Mobility Before UK House of Lords
John Friedman recently testified before the UK House of Lords’ Social Mobility Policy Committee, which is exploring ways to improve social mobility through education and employment integration.
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News from Watson
The Illicit Global Economy: What Everyone Needs To Know
Peter Andreas recently published "The Illicit Global Economy: What Everyone Needs to Know," a new book that explores the unauthorized cross-border flows of goods, people and money shaping global trade and politics.
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News
Effective July 1, 2026, Şebnem Kalemli-Özcan will become director of the Watson School’s Rhodes Center for International Economics and Finance, taking over for long-time director Mark Blyth.
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The Master of Public Affairs (MPA) Program offers two distinctive programs that enable students to build connections and deepen their MPA experience. The MPA Research Fellows Program emphasizes faculty engagement and hands-on research, while the Equity in Policy Scholars Program stresses interaction with policy practitioners and leadership development.
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Watson School political scientist Prena Singh was recently awarded the Max Planck-Humboldt Research Award for her ongoing research into vaccine hesitancy in India and China.
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