Institutions & Political Economy

Evidence from the Northern Triangle and Mexico shows that an increase in the supply of weapons raises homicidal violence, which subsequently drives migration. Notably, this effect persists even when weapons are transferred through proper legal protoc...

When Brazil let neglected districts break away and form new municipalities, peripheral areas gained services, jobs, and growth at no visible cost to the rest of the country.

Delays in public benefit delivery can harm societies' most vulnerable households, but making management-relevant information more accessible to the bureaucrats implementing these programmes can meaningfully improve delivery speeds.

In Mexico, violence against journalists reduces media activity in the months following an attack and, in the long run, reshapes the profession towards younger and less-established reporters – with lasting implications for local government transparenc...

Global development leaders examine how priorities and funding must evolve to create new partnerships that drive transparency, accountability, and impact.

Conflict disrupting transport routes in Somalia raises food prices and worsens household welfare in distant, peaceful markets, showing that the economic costs of violence travel far beyond the front line through supply chains. Aid strategies focused ...

Martin Williams draws on over a decade of research across six African countries to explain why civil service reforms so often fall short, and what leaders should do instead.