| The Developmental State |
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- Is the ‘developmental state’ a useful concept for current development policy; and if so, what are the main features of this concept?
- How have developmental states emerged over time, and how can the international community support efforts to build developmental states?
- How does the developmental state interact with governance issues, democratisation processes, and other important development issues?
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| Fragile States |
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- How do donors formulate policies, strategies, approaches and principles regarding aid to fragile states?
- How and where do the security and development agendas intersect?
- What are the relationships between conflict, state fragility, development and democracy?
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| Neopatrimonial States |
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- How do neopatrimonial systems constrain possibilities for developmental reform?
- What differences across neopatrimonial states are relevant to achieving "good enough governance"?
- Do the social foundations of neopatrimonialism in Africa favour developmental transformation?
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| Governance Assessment |
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- Why, when, and how does governance change?
- How can we assess governance in a meaningful and useful way for country stakeholders, donors and other external actors?
- What are the links between governance and other development issues?
- ODI resources on governance and corruption
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| Corruption |
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- What works for reducing corruption?
- How should donors tackle corruption in sensible ways that are productive for overall development?
- What are the links between corruption and other areas of governance?
- How can we assess corruption in a way that is relevant for domestic reformers and for external actors?
- ODI resources on governance and corruption
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| Parliaments and Development |
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- What roles do parliaments play in delivering good governance and poverty reduction?
- Why are parliaments in many developing countries ineffective and marginalised?
- What can donors and others do to strengthen the role of parliaments in developing countries?
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| Voice and Accountability |
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- How can the analysis of the relationship between a state and its people inform development?
- In what ways can citizens’ capacity to express their voices and claim their rights improve state and government accountability?
- How should the effects of voice and accountability interventions be evaluated?
- ODI work on rights on the Rights in Action website
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| Democratisation Processes |
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- What are the main challenges to democratic deepening in emerging/incipient/hybrid democracies?
- How have donors approached international assistance to democracy, and what lessons have emerged?
- What is the relationship between democratisation, ‘good governance’, and state-building, and are these processes always mutually reinforcing?
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| Political Economy of Policy Change |
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- How do political incentives constrain or enable policy change?
- What are the processes and interventions that overcome blockages to reform?
- How does aid influence institutions and prospects for change?
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| The Politics of Global Health |
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- What tools are required to better understand and address the politics of evidence-informed, pro-poor health reform?
- What can donors and others do to support country-level constituencies in evidence-informed health policy formation and implementation?
- What are the entry points, interests and ways to improve the aid architecture supporting health sectors in developing countries?
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| Aid and Politics |
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- How does aid influence incentives in the political systems of developing countries?
- Can aid be more effective by becoming better informed about country contexts?
- Can aid be a positive influence on institutional change for development?
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