Study Groups

DSA Scotland

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Next meeting: 02/09/2013

Next meeting agenda:

Development Studies Association Scotland Conference
University of St Andrews
September 2, 2013

Promoting cross-regional and cross-disciplinary dialogue between PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and academics with expert knowledge working on development issues. The Development Studies Association Scotland is holding its annual conference in St Andrews on September 2, 2013. The purpose of the conference is to bring together cutting edge empirical and theoretical research on the nature, causes and consequences of violent conflict and the implications these have for sustainable development. Violent conflict is here understood in its wider sense from conflict prevention to economic recovery, including economic development.
This year’s conference will have a special focus on the relationships between violent conflict and economies. Recent research has highlighted both the multiple economic factors influencing conflicts (poverty or commodity prices for instance) and the impact of conflicts on economies in terms of migration, trade or growth among other things. However, a key challenge in the research on the causes and consequences of violent conflict remains the identification of causal effects in either direction (e.g. groups behaviour, natural resources, inequality, financial stability).

We invite submissions that address key issues in conflict and the economics of development. We welcome submissions from all disciplines around the empirical analysis of violent conflict from both macro- and micro-level perspective. Theoretical papers are also welcome. Submissions should be in English, and we are looking for completed but unpublished papers.
Submissions by early stage researchers are strongly encouraged.

Researchers interested in submitting a paper for this workshop should send proposals to: dsasconf@st-andrews.ac.uk

The closing date for paper proposals is April 16, 2013.

Authors whose paper is selected for presentation will be notified by May 30, 2013.
Limited funding might be available for travel expenses for postgraduate students.

For further information, please contact the CONFERENCE ORGANIZERS:
Dr Hazel Cameron (International Relations, St Andrews)
Dr Laurence Lasselle (Economics & Finance, St Andrews)
Prof. Ian Taylor (International Relations, St Andrews)

 



Previous meeting:

DSA Scotland Mini Conference

DSA Scotland Study Group Conferences
(Development Studies Association of the UK and Ireland)


Micro-credit Symposium
January 2013

About sixty participants from a range of academic and civil society bodies came together on 24th January to discuss the main features of micro-credit programmes and their application to the Scottish economy and society.

View the full report


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Development Studies in Africa and South Asia: Cutting across regions and disciplines

Date: Friday, 14 September 2012
Location: University of Edinburgh, Scotland

Organizers: Gerhard Anders (Centre of African Studies, University of Edinburgh),
Jeevan R. Sharma (Centre for South Asian Studies, University of Edinburgh).

 

The main purpose of the conference was to promote a cross-regional and crossdisciplinary
dialogue between PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and senior researchers with expert knowledge working in South Asia and Africa.

The conference provided a platform to interrogate the multifarious ways in which research projects are shaped by and adapt to regionalization and the association of specific development problems with particular regions (e.g. HIV/AIDS in Africa, demography in Asia). Are there research questions that are associated with either Asia or Africa? What are the reasons? Is regionalization useful or problematic? What can we learn from development studies in other regions? How can we bridge the egional and disciplinary divide?

Programme

9:45 – 10:15: Arrival and registration. Coffee and snacks will be served.
10:15 – 10:30: Introduction by the organizers.
10:30 – 11:15: Keynote paper by Veena Naregal & Crispin Bates: ‘The Geneaology
of the Region within Indian Social Science Discourse’.
11:15 – 12:45: Mozammel Huq (Dep. of Economics, University of Strathclyde):
‘Microcredit and Poverty Alleviation: A case Study of Bangladesh’.

Irene Banda Mutalima (Oxford Centre for Mission Studies and Wales
University):
‘Responses to the Voices of Poor People: A Reflexive Comparative
Study of Microfinance Interventions as a Model for Poverty
Reduction’.

Christine Abonge (Dep. of Women and Gender Studies, Faculty of
Social and Management Sciences, University of Buea, Cameroon):
‘Promoting Income Generating Activities for Persons with Disability in
Cameroon: A Pathway to Disability-inclusive Poverty Reduction?’.

Kristinn Hermannsson (Dep. Of Economics, University of
Strathclyde):
‘Micro-micro Mismatch in the Economic Development Impact of
Education: A Structural Simulation Approach for the Case of Malawi’.
Discussant: Hilary Homans (Centre for Sustainable International
Development, University of Aberdeen).
12:45 – 1:30: Lunch
1:30 – 3:00: Shishusri Pradhan (Centre of African Studies, University of
Edinburgh):
‘Sub-regionalization of the Socio-technical Initiative: The National Mission
on Biodiesel in India’

Andrea Jiménez (Royal Holloway University of London):
‘Innovation and Technology Hubs as Spaces for ICT Development: When
Africa Innovates’

Elvin Nyukuri (Open University):
‘Climate Change Policies and Vulnerability of Tropical Forest
Communities’.
Discussant: Ian Harper (Social Anthropology, University of Edinburgh).
3:00 – 3.15: Coffee Break
3:15 – 4:45: Annalisa Addis (Dep. of Social Sciences, University of Cagliari):
‘Researching the link between Humanitarian Aid and Development’

Kathy Dodworth (School of Social and Political Science, University of
Edinburgh):
‘Interpreting the Legitimacy of Aid: Challenges from Within’

Carine Le Borgne (School of Social and Political Science, University of
Edinburgh):
‘Translation of International Rights to 'Participation' for Children and
Young People, to Practices and Experiences at the Local Level:
Comparing India (Tamil Nadu) and UK (Scotland)’.
Discussant: Ian Taylor (School of International Relations, University of
St. Andrews).
4:45 – 5.15: General Discussion

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DSA Scotland Study Group Mini Conference

Friday 14th October 2011
Location: Centre for Sustainable International Development (CSID)
University of Aberdeen

Programme

10.30 – 11.00
Refreshments and Preliminary Networking

Welcome to Participants – Dr Mozammel Huq (Convenor, DSA Scotland) and Dr Hilary Homans (Centre for Sustainable International Development, University of Aberdeen)
11.00 -  13.00 Chair – tbc
11.00 - 11.25
Mátyás Bódig (University of Aberdeen) – Human Rights based approach to development
11.25 -  11.50 
Nigel Dower (University of Aberdeen) – tbc 
11.50 - 12.15
Francesco Sindico (University of Dundee) – International law of Transboundary Aquifers – tbc
12.15 - 12.40
Lisa Avery (James Hutton Institute) -  The Potential of Small-Scale Biogas Digesters to Improve Livelihoods and Long Term Sustainability of Ecosystem Services in Sub-Saharan Africa
12.40 - 13.00
 Summary and discussion
13.00 – 14.00 Buffet Lunch and Networking with a few words by Michael Tribe on DSA Scotland
14.00 - 16.00
 Chair – tbc
14.00 - 14.25
 Mark Reed (University of Aberdeen) – Integrating local and scientific knowledge to monitor land degradation in drylands
14.25 - 14.50
 Natascha Mueller-Hirth (University of Aberdeen) – tbc
14.50 - 15.50
 Presentations and discussion based on presentations by doctoral research students (Muhammad Tariq Majeed (University of Glasgow) – International development economics,  Peter Oniemola (University of Aberdeen) – tbc) and Masters students
(Oluwabunmi Elizabeth Agoro, Joy Onubi (both University of Aberdeen) – details to be confirmed
15.50 - 16.15  
Discussion and vote of thanks by Dr Mozammel Huq (University of Strathclyde)
16.15 - 16.30
 Tea/Coffee, Networking, Depart

The organising group for the meeting consisted of the following:

Dr Hilary Homans
Centre for Sustainable International Development
University of Aberdeen
(hilary.homans@abdn.ac.uk)

Dr Mozammel Huq                        Dr Michael Tribe
Department of Economics              Department of Economics
University of Strathclyde               University of Strathclyde
(m.m.huq@strath.ac.uk)               (michael.tribe@strath.ac.uk)

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DSA Scotland Mini Conference

Friday 20th May 2011
Economic Studies, School of Business
University of Dundee

VIEW THE CONFERENCE REPORT

Organising Committee

Programme

10.30 – 11.00 am 

Refreshments and Preliminary Networking

Welcome to Participants – Dr Mozammel Huq (Convenor, DSA Scotland) and Dr Sushil Mohan (Department of Economics, University of Dundee)


11.00 am to 1.00 pm  


Chair – Professor John Struthers (University of the West of Scotland)   


11.00 to 11.40 am 


11.40 am to 12.20 pm 


12.20 to 1.00 pm   


2.00 to 4.00 pm   

Chair – Dr Alberto Paloni (University of Glasgow) – to be confirmed

Sushil Mohan (University of Dundee) – Tariff Escalation in Tropical Beverage Products: Implications for Adding Value in Producing Countries – paper will be available before 20th May


2.40 pm to 4.00 pm 

Presentations by doctoral research students:

Vote of thanks by Dr Mozammel Huq (University of Strathclyde)

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DSA Scotland Mini Conference

Scotland in International Development

Friday 14th May 2010
University of Glasgow

The meeting consisted of three parts:

  • a guest speaker – Sam Hickey from the University of Manchester** – on the ‘Rights Approach to International Development, NGOs and Poverty Reduction” – (note that Nick Roseveare, who had originally agreed to speak at the meeting, had to withdraw due to pressing engagements)
  • a discussion around Scotland’s Role in International Development following up the discussions at the March 2009 meeting of DSA Scotland
  • presentations based on recent development research

Papers from our 2009 meeting are still available from the DSA Scotland page in the DSA (Development Studies Association of the UK and Ireland) website (www.devstud.org.uk) – Study Groups section. Details for the May 2010 meeting will appear in the same location, and will be updated as and when additional information becomes available.

Participation in the meeting will include people from the university sector (staff and postgraduate students), from the NGO sector, from the Scottish Government and Parliament and from the Department for International Development.

Programme

10.00 – 10.30 am

Coffee and Preliminary Networking

Welcome to Participants – Dr Mozammel Huq (Convenor, DSA Scotland) and Dr Alberto Paloni (Department of Economics and Centre for Development Studies, University of Glasgow)

10.30 to about 11.30 am

Chair – Dr Michael Tribe, Honorary Secretary, Development Studies Association

Talk by Dr Sam Hickey, IDPM (Institute for Development Policy and Management) University of Manchester and Chronic Poverty Research Centre on Rights-based approaches to development, NGOs and Poverty Reduction followed by discussion

11.30 am – 1.00 pm 

Chair – Professor John Struthers, University of the West of Scotland

Scotland in International Development – follow-up to the discussion at the DSA Scotland meeting in March 2009

It is anticipated that the panel leading this discussion will include Mary Craig (Chief Executive, Lloyds TSB Foundation for Scotland); representatives from SCAID (Scottish Universities), NIDOS (Network of International Development Organisations in Scotland), and from the Scottish civil service.

2.00 – 4.00 pm 

Chair – Dr Alberto Paloni, University of Glasgow

Presentation and discussion of Research Papers on international development – anticipated to include:

  • Sacha Rawlence (University of Edinburgh) – “Integrating transaction cost and institutional theories in an emerging market context: the case of the Tiger Leaping Gorge, SW China”
  • Maurizio Carbone, University of Glasgow – “Does coordination enhance aid effectiveness? Rhetorical action and European donors in sub-Saharan Africa.”
  • Krishen Rana, University of Stirling – “Contribution of Scottish government initiatives to aquatic resource and aquaculture development in Malawi”
  • Anthony Clunies Ross (University of Strathclyde) – “Two approaches to costing a world social-safety-net”

** Sam Hickey is a Senior Lecturer in IDPM in the University of Manchester and is a member of  the Chronic Poverty Research Centre (linked to an international research consortium funded by the UK DFID). He has two recently published jointly edited books on issues directly relevant to his presentation, and further details about his recent activities may be found on the University of Manchester website: http://www.sed.manchester.ac.uk/idpm/staff/hickey_sam.htm

The organising group for the meeting consisted of the following:

  • Dr Mozammel Huq, Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde – m.m.huq@strath.ac.uk
  • Dr Alberto Paloni, Department of Economics, University of Glasgow – a.paloni@lbss.gla.ac.uk
  • Professor John Struthers, UWS Business School, University of the West of Scotland – john.struthers@uws.ac.uk
  • Dr Girma Zawdie, David Livingstone Institute, University of Strathclyde – g.zawdie@strath.ac.uk
  • Dr Michael Tribe, Department of Economics, University of Strathclyde, and Development Studies Association – michael.tribe@strath.ac.uk


Convenor
Mozammel Huq, John Struthers
m.m.huq@strath.ac.uk, john.struthers@uws.ac.uk
0141 552 4400