Local elections have the potential to disrupt the ‘business-as-usual’ culture that often settles in bureaucracies. Evidence from village elections in Indonesia shows that changes in leadership improve information flows between citizens and the state,...

Contrary to popular belief, economic development does not necessarily lead to secularisation. Instead, religion often adapts and persists, providing social support, identity, and stability amid uncertainty – while interacting dynamically with states, traditional beliefs, and evolving economic realities.

Slum tenants face higher rents and lower investments when their landlord and chief share ethnicity, while gaining when their chief is a co-ethnic