Links I Liked

September 14, 2015
The main global Diabetes hot spots are in Middle East and Latin America – not Europe or US. [via Conrad Hackett] I’ve never met a meeting I couldn’t sleep through [h/t Chris Jochnick, zzzz] Dani Rodrik argues that economics is a craft not a science: why economists should stop arguing about which is the ‘correct’ model and learn to apply
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The Paradox of Britain’s role in Yemen’s unfolding disaster. Guest post by Mark Goldring

September 11, 2015
While all eyes are on Syria, a humanitarian disaster is fast unfolding in Yemen, and the UK government’s role is ambiguous. Here Mark Goldring, Chief Executive of Oxfam GB, explains why it is challenging the government on the ‘paradox’ of the UK’s approach and introduces a new report, released today. Twenty one million people in Yemen are in urgent need of
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What are the drivers of change behind women’s empowerment at national level? The case of Colombia

September 10, 2015
Just read a new case study of women’s empowerment in Colombia, part of ODI’s Development Progress series (summary here, full paper here). What’s useful is the level of analysis – a focus on the national rather than global or a project case study enables them to consider the various drivers of change at work. Some excerpts: Signs of Progress: Colombia
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How are countries treating their over-60s? New Global Agewatch Index

September 9, 2015
[nb the elves tell me they think they may have fixed the email notification problem – if you’ve received an email for the first time in months, linking to this post, cd you say so in comments or in the poll, right?] The 3rd annual Global AgeWatch Index (28 pages) is published today, ranking 96 countries on how they treat
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What difference do remittances and migration make back home?

September 8, 2015
Reading the Economist cover to cover is an illicit pleasure – it may be irritatingly smug and right wing, especially on anything about economic policy, but its coverage on international issues consistently goes way beyond standard news outlets. This week’s edition had everything from the changing face of Indian marriage to the spread of pedestrian and cycling schemes around the
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Are From Poverty to Power posts now reaching your email inbox? If so please tell me.

September 7, 2015
OK, the IT elves think they have sorted out the glitch that has meant lots of people have not been getting email notifications of new posts. But they want to test it. So please could you let me know on the poll over there to the right (or above) whether you have a) been getting email notifications all along b) have
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Links I Liked

September 7, 2015
For the data geeks: Spurious Correlations. Absolutely wonderful geek humour. [h/t Alan Beattie] A data revolution is underway. Will NGOs miss the boat? Myth-busting on China and development: Data on Chinese investment in Africa show its nothing like the giant, resource-sucking caricature The new China-dominated Asian International Investment Bank (AIIB) is to offer loans with fewer strings attached than conventional
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Is it useful/right to see Development as a Collective Action Problem?

September 4, 2015
The Developmental Leadership Programme is producing a good series of bluffer’s guides Concept Briefs. The latest is on Collective Action (previous ones on Political Settlements and State Legitimacy). They’re just 3 pages, including further reading, and are ideal for anyone who wants to impress in a meeting by bandying around the latest jargon. According to the paper, written by Caryn
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Aid agency ex-staff are a huge wasted asset – how cd we set up an alumni scheme and what wd it do?

September 3, 2015
I regularly hear from friends who have been cold called by their old university, seeking to extract money from them for the alma mater (apparently hungry current students are particularly convincing). That got me thinking – how come aid organizations don’t do more with their alumni? Because Exfam staff (as we call them) are a wasted asset: many go on
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I need your help: what to read on the international system; TNCs; leadership?

September 2, 2015
OK, I need some help from the FP2P hive mind. I am getting to the crunch point on the much-trailed How Change Happens book. I have an October deadline for a consultation draft – you’ll be hearing from me at that point. To get there, I need to do some more background research in a few areas. Could you help me with
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Links I Liked

September 1, 2015
Dilbert explains: Why asking staff in big, cumbersome organizations to be more entrepreneurial is never going to work. Sorry. Useful tips here. Why presenting research & policy recommendations to governments is like discussing ugly babies with their parents Irony watch: Guy in ‘lower taxes, less government, more freedom’ T shirt thanks US government firefighters for saving his house Alex Evans was
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