SummaryAid budgets face immense pressure -despite overseas aid being critical for poverty alleviation in developing countries and the explicit commitments of the world's industrialised countries to the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). Public support for international development and aid will play a key role. Will the public become unsure about the UK's aid budget when they begin to feel cuts in government expenditure at home? How well equipped are we to 'sell' the UK's aid programme to a sceptical public in times of economic austerity? This working paper presents the results of a qualitative enquiry into public perceptions of international development and aid in the UK. Using data from the Mass Observation Project (MOP) at the University of Sussex, the authors investigate the views of 185 members of the general public.The study finds that, while people can conjure up ideas of why poverty exists, they know very little about the confluence of factors that actually drive poverty and/or the daily lives of the poor. Thus, poverty is seen as caused primarily by bad governments and natural disasters, almost as a stereotype. People have major doubts about the effectiveness of aid, perhaps reflecting the fact that they tend to be much better at picturing aid 'failure' than aid 'success'. Nonetheless, there is support for aid in principle; people think that the UK has a responsibility to help the poor in developing countries, primarily on ethical grounds. This research has clear implications for the way in which the UK communicates with the British public about aid and development and the authors suggest a more considered approach that recognises the complexities of aid and is honest about what works and what doesn't. The paper concludes with a call for further research to fill the knowledge gaps that still exist about the drivers of public support for development and how those drivers can be influenced.
About IDSThe Institute of Development Studies is one of the world's leading organisations for research, teaching and communications on international development. Founded in 1966, the Institute enjoys an international reputation based on the quality of its work and the rigour with which it applies academic skills to real world challenges. Its purpose is to understand and explain the world, and to try to change it -to influence as well as to inform.IDS hosts five dynamic research programmes, five popular postgraduate courses, and a family of worldclass web-based knowledge services. These three spheres are integrated in a unique combination -as a development knowledge hub, IDS is connected into and is a convenor of networks throughout the world.The Institute is home to approximately 80 researchers, 50 knowledge services staff, 50 support staff and about 150 students at any one time. But the IDS community extends far beyond, encompassing an extensive network of partners, former staff and students across the development community worldwide. This publication is copyright, but may be reproduced by any method without fee for teaching or non-profit purposes, but not for resale. Formal permission is required for all such uses, but normally will be granted immediately. For copying in any other circumstances, or for re-use in other publications, or for translation or adaptation, prior written permission must be obtained from the publisher and a fee may be payable. Minimum SummaryThe impact and influence of development research is an agenda that has been gathering momentum over the last few years. This agenda is a coming together of two divergent concerns. The first, from the funders of research, draws on results based management and is concerned with getting value-for-money from research spending or with 'more bang for the buck'. The second, more typical of those in the development studies research community, is concerned with whether research in the area is 'making a difference'. Among development researchers there is also often a political or normative basis -addressing global poverty and inequalityand catalysing change.The meanings of the terms' impact and influence are multiple, multi-layered and complex to track. They may refer to use (i.e. consideration) or actual outcome(s) of social change. They can be visible or invisible; progressive or regressive. Impacts and influence can be intended or unintended and immediate or long-term. The processes of impact and influence are acknowledged to be non-linear, iterative and complex. This paper considers the impact and influence of development research from a plurality of perspectives. Interest in the impact/influence of research projects aggregates upwards to support the overall case for (often public) funding of development research (in areas that are likely to play a major role in the next few years in changing the climate for public expenditure in light of the global financial crisis).
This article argues that if the multiple purposes of M&E were recognised and pursued it would help align the incentives of funders, implementers, M&E service providers, and intended beneficiaries to increase the impacts of agriculture on poverty. In reality, these multiple purposes are rarely pursued, leading to the weak provision of meaningful M&E. We make the case that M&E in agriculture is not immune to this, and it may even be more susceptible due to agriculture's unique properties. We argue that one possible way forward is people‐centred M&E, which looks for ways to balance multiple accountabilities. People‐centred M&E embraces farmer feedback, focuses on incentivising learning within organisations and finds ways to share M&E information more openly.
A dog that had travelled to Sweden was inspected by a veterinarian. In one ear canal a tick was found. It was later identified as a spinose ear tick, Otobius megnini. In this case report we also review the previously known reports of O. megnini in Europe and the recent introduction and spread in Turkey.
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