The new World Development Report (on mind, society and behavior): lots to like, but a big fail on power, politics and religion

December 16, 2014
This probably doesn’t need saying, but the World Development Report is a big deal. The World Bank’s annual flagships have a track record of shaping debates on particular issues, and raising them up the endlessly churning development agenda. So it pays to pay attention. This year’s WDR, published this month, is on ‘Mind, Society and Behaviour’. I (like most people)
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Is the era of flagship publications (HDR, WDR) coming to an end?

October 15, 2014
Had an interesting chat with some UNDP types last week in the Brixton cafe that is fast becoming my second office. In the same week as UNDP was named top donor on transparency (ahead of the UK and US), they were evaluating the UNDP’s flagship publication, the Human Development Report (HDR). Over the long term, I am a huge fan
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The World Bank tackles Mind and Culture: heads up on the next World Development Report

March 31, 2014
Even though annual reports by the many fragments of the multilateral system have proliferated in recent years (I can’t keep up any more), the World Bank’s World Development Report still stands head and shoulders above the rest. And the next one’s theme, WDR 2015: Mind and Culture, due out in November this year, is pretty eye catching. And welcome. There’s
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Gender Equality and Development: What will (and won’t) be in the 2012 World Development Report?

January 28, 2011
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