Les méga-projets d’infrastructures et leurs répercussions à l’échelle locale
Des axes de transport rapides et efficaces ou une production d’« énergie verte » provenant d’immenses champs d’éoliennes ou de modules photovoltaïques – la création de méga-infrastructures est généralement liée à l’espoir d’un développement économique et d’un accroissement du bien-être des populations locales. Mais, trop souvent, ces espoirs sont déçus, car on ne les consulte pas au préalable et, à cause de ce méga-projet, elles perdent leur base de ressources, leur espace vital et leurs possibilités de revenus. Consulter la population et prendre en compte les diverses répercussions et perspectives, les rapports de force et les possibilités de participation sont autant de conditions indispensables pour que les projets d’infrastructures contribuent durablement au développement local. Or, pour cela, il faut une recherche qui puisse tenir compte de ces différents aspects.

Politics courses for researchers: How do I get my message to politicians and administrators?
Dialogue between researchers, the public, politicians and business has increased. How can you make your expertise heard in political circles and how do you find the right contacts in parliament and the administration?

Political leanings and opinions in Switzerland about global cooperation
Political leanings and values, not group identities, drive attitudes towards global cooperation. Results from the NADEL survey 2022.

Call for Papers: EJDR Special Issue: Race, (Anti-)Racism and Development
European Journal of Development Research (EJDR) invites abstract submissions for a Special Issue of the European Journal of Development Research entitled Race, (Anti-)Racism and Development. Submission deadline for extended abstracts: 11 April 2023.

Safeguarding research staff “in the field”: a blind spot in ethics guidelines
Across disciplines there is a large and increasing number of research projects that rely on data collection activities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, these are accompanied by an extensive range of ethical challenges. While the safeguarding of study participants is the primary aim of existing ethics guidelines, this paper argues that this “do no harm” principle should be extended to include research staff. This study is a comprehensive review of more than 80 existing ethics guidelines and protocols that reveals a lack of safeguarding research staff regarding the ethical challenges faced during data collection activities in LMICs. This is particularly the case when it comes to issues such as power imbalances, political risk, staff’s emotional wellbeing or dealing with feelings of guilt. Lead organizations are called upon to develop guiding principles that encompass the safeguarding of research staff, which are then to be adapted and translated into specific protocols and tools by institutions.