Lightnews — Scholar-powered news

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 16h

"Silence now risks normalizing the use of hunger as a political tool-not only in Ethiopia but in conflicts settings across the world. By naming and recording what happened in Tigray, we contribute to a body of memory that resists denial and insists on accountability."

Blog: bit.ly/48SMgkA

Famine in Tigray: “we are dying by a silent war” - World Peace Foundation

Report authors explain why recording events in Tigray contributes to a body of memory that resists denial and insists on accountability.

bit.ly

1 1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 16h

In a new article for @worldpeacefdtn.bsky.social, GDI's Teklehaymanot G. Weldemichel (@tekgw.bsky.social) writes about the silenced story of urban hunger that has accompanied Tigray's war, famine and genocide.

Read here: worldpeacefoundation.org/publication/...

1 4 1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 20h

GDI research fellow Arash Beidollahkhani has published a paper on digital activism on X following the death of Mahsa Amini in Iran in 2022.

The study focuses on how women resist state-imposed hijab laws by deploying hashtags as tools of symbolic disruption.

Read here: bit.ly/3KynJHL

Hashtagging Resistance: Media, Authority, and Women's Subjectivity in Post-Mahsa Iran - Arash Beidollahkhani, Mahdiyeh Ghorashi, 2025

This paper explores the intersections of media, authority, and women's subjectivity in post-Mahsa Iran through Lacanian psychoanalysis. We examine digital ...

journals.sagepub.com

1 1

Reposted by Global Development Institute

School of Environment, Education, and Development @uomseed.bsky.social · 21h

And if you want to hear more on this subject, tune into the new @globaldevinst.bsky.social podcast to listen to @drelisagambino.bsky.social being interviewed by Rory Horner 👉 www.buzzsprout.com/2017560/epis...

Flexible Embeddedness: In Conversation with Elisa Gambino - Global Development Institute podcast

In this episode, Rory Horner speaks with Elisa Gambino about her latest paper 'Flexible embeddedness: how Chinese lead firms internationalise in Africa' with Costanza Franceschini.The ‘rise of the Sou...

www.buzzsprout.com

1 2

Reposted by Global Development Institute

School of Environment, Education, and Development @uomseed.bsky.social · 21h

Based on extensive research in China, Ghana and Kenya, @drelisagambino.bsky.social from @globaldevinst.bsky.social has co-written this article for @theconversation.com on how Chinese construction companies are changing the way they do business in Africa 👉 theconversation.com/chinese-comp...

Chinese companies are changing the way they operate in Africa: here’s how

African governments and other local actors have a crucial role to play in shaping the activities of Chinese firms.

theconversation.com

1 2 2

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 5d

Our latest podcast episode features GDI's Elisa Gambino, interviewed by colleague Rory Horner about her latest paper: 'Flexible embeddedness: how Chinese lead firms internationalise in Africa'.

This is a fantastic episode which you can now listen to right here: www.buzzsprout.com/2017560/epis...

2 1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 6d

An article written by Abiola Olatunji and GDI colleagues Lawrence Ado-Kofie and Osman Ouattara investigates whether infrastructure development helps poor economies escape low-income traps or transition to higher-income levels.

Read the open-access paper here onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/...

1 2

Reposted by Global Development Institute

IOB - Institute of Development Policy @iobua.bsky.social · 9d

The IOB funding cut threatens students, global collaboration, and Flanders’ international role. Help us defend it! #saveIOB 💙 Sign our alumni's petition: https://chng.it/8DhtrFSBpm

3 3

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 8d

We at GDI are immensely disheartened to hear that @iobua.bsky.social has been informed by the Flemish government that their core funding will not be renewed.

If you would like to show your support and take action, you can sign this petition: bit.ly/46uCzYj

IOB - Institute of Development Policy @iobua.bsky.social · 14d

The Flemish government’s unexpected decision not to renew IOB’s agreement puts €2.64M funding, 32 jobs, key programmes and global partnerships at risk. Support us! https://bit.ly/saveIOB

#saveIOB #developmentpolicy #developmentpolicy #iobcommunity

5 3

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 13d

A press release from @manchester.ac.uk announces new funding for a 4-year programme that will transform how irrigation is monitored across Sub-Saharan Africa.

GDI's Rose Pritchard will be involved with this project alongside UoM's Timothy Foster and Polyanna Bispo.

Learn more: bit.ly/481FM2y

University of Manchester awarded £3m to transform irrigation monitoring in Sub-Saharan Africa

The Manchester Environmental Research Institute (MERI) at The University of Manchester has launched a new four-year programme that will transform how irrigation is monitored across Sub-Saharan Africa,...

bit.ly

1 2

Reposted by Global Development Institute

EADI @eadi.bsky.social · 13d

📰 Our newsletter ist out, read it here or in your inbox!
Featuring @idos-research.bsky.social's Justice in Global Economic Governance, @isdcberlin.bsky.social and their fragile lives conference and much more
mailchi.mp/eadi/nl2sept...

1 2 3

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 20d

With Ethiopia’s Grand Renaissance Dam operational, debates over the future of the Nile are entering a new phase

In his open-access book, @tomlavers.bsky.social reveals how dam building has shaped Ethiopia’s international standing and unpacks the promises and perils of megaprojects

- bit.ly/3Vk2yeB

6 3

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 28d

The event is co-organised by the @gdi-students-4-pal.bsky.social and the Global Urban Futures and Resource, Environment and Development research groups.

Learn more about GDI Students for Palestine here: studentsforpalestinegdi.wordpress.com

GDI Students for Palestine

GDI Students for Palestine is a student-led solidarity group based at the University of Manchester’s Global Development Institute (GDI).

studentsforpalestinegdi.wordpress.com

1 3

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · 28d

A hybrid lecture on Mon 15 Sep will focus on understanding the links between urban and infrastructural transformation and destruction in the face of the ongoing genocide in Palestine.

The session will feature presentations from Prof Haim Yacobi (UCL) and Chloé Chbat (UoM)

Register: bit.ly/46fwX2M

1 3 3

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Sep 5

There are just ten days left to enter our photo competition exploring the migrant body in south-south migration.

Selected photos will be featured at a conference on the Migrant Body hosted later this year, and there are cash prizes for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place.

More info: bit.ly/429obls

2

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Sep 4

Don't forget to register for our next Community of Practice on Tues 16 September!

This session will ask 'what does it take to turn toxic organisations into thriving organisations?'

You can register for either the 8am or 2pm session here: events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:...

1

Reposted by Global Development Institute

Development Studies Association @devcomms.bsky.social · Sep 3

The Emperor’s New Clothes? Why localisation still leaves power in northern hands writes @globaldevinst.bsky.social’s Nicola Banks and Gijs van Selm
blog.gdi.manchester.ac.uk/the-emperors...

2

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Sep 2

The Second Cold War Observatory has released a new podcast episode with Jack Taggart, Senior Lecturer at @qubelfastofficial.bsky.social.

The episode dives into USAID cuts and what they mean for the contested terrain of development and aid in today’s world.

Listen here: bit.ly/4p0OlR8

The end of aid? US, China, and the future of development - New Books Network

newbooksnetwork.com

1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Sep 2

Articles about Pritish's paper also appeared in @reuters.com: www.reuters.com/world/africa...

And @elpais.com: elpais.com/planeta-futu...

Luxury tourism in Africa often fails to benefit locals, new research shows

Efforts by some African nations to attract luxury tourism have yielded limited benefits for local communities, with new research by the University of Manchester saying on Tuesday that it often causes more harm than good.

www.reuters.com

1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Sep 2

GDI's Pritish Behuria has appeared in the media several times over the past week to discuss his upcoming paper on luxury tourism in Africa.

In an interview with @sabcnews.bsky.social, Pritish outlines his findings that this tourism often fails to benefit local communities: bit.ly/3HSENao

Luxury tourism in Africa often fails to benefit locals

YouTube video by Channel Africa

www.youtube.com

1 1 1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Aug 27

A new paper by GDI's Tom Gillespie (@t-a-gillespie.bsky.social) and co-author Claire Mercer provides a critical overview of the frontier as a "conceptual lens that can generate new insights into the twenty-first century urban."

Read the open-access paper here: www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

3 1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Aug 26

Our next Community of Practice will take place on Tues 16 September 2025 (8am/2pm BST), asking 'What does it take to turn toxic organisations into thriving organisations?'

Register: events.manchester.ac.uk/event/event:...

1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Aug 26

What challenges do development practitioners face when building their personal resilience?

New on the blog, Louisa Hann and Natalie Cunningham reflect on the first Community of Practice of the semester, which took place earlier this month.

Read here: blog.gdi.manchester.ac.uk/what-challen...

What challenges do development practitioners face when developing their personal resilience? - Global Development Institute Blog

On 19th August 2025, we held the first communities of practice in a series focused on the role resilience plays during a turbulent period within the development space. The sessions were held online (t...

blog.gdi.manchester.ac.uk

1 1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Aug 21

This blog is based on recent research published in Geoforum: 'Climate adaptation under austerity: Declining everyday infrastructures amid extreme heat'

Read the paper here: www.sciencedirect.com/science/arti...

Climate adaptation under austerity: Declining everyday infrastructures amid extreme heat

Austerity governance is reshaping climate adaptation worldwide, yet its impacts on adaptation at the micro-scale remain overlooked. This paper shifts …

www.sciencedirect.com

1

Global Development Institute @globaldevinst.bsky.social · Aug 21

New on the blog, GDI Honorary Research Fellow Gemma Sou and co-author Clare Steele write about the relationship between austerity in the UK and our ability to cope with climate change.

Read here: blog.gdi.manchester.ac.uk/15-years-of-...

15 Years of Austerity Eroded Public Infrastructure—Now Extreme Heat Is Exposing the Cost - Global Development Institute Blog

By Dr Gemma Sou and Ms Clare Steele. We’re told ever-hotter summers are inevitable. What’s less discussed is that Britain’s ability to cope has been systematically dismantled — not by the climate itse...

blog.gdi.manchester.ac.uk

2 1 2