Diplomacy & Defense Think Tank News

Across disciplines there is a large and increasing number of research projects that rely on data collection activities in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). However, these are accompanied by an extensive range of ethical challenges. While the safeguarding of study participants is the primary aim of existing ethics guidelines, this paper argues that this “do no harm” principle should be extended to include research staff. This study is a comprehensive review of more than 80 existing ethics guidelines and protocols that reveals a lack of safeguarding research staff regarding the ethical challenges faced during data collection activities in LMICs. This is particularly the case when it comes to issues such as power imbalances, political risk, staff’s emotional wellbeing or dealing with feelings of guilt. Lead organizations are called upon to develop guiding principles that encompass the safeguarding of research staff, which are then to be adapted and translated into specific protocols and tools by institutions.

At first glance, cities in the European Arctic differ from a traditional framing that is mostly shaped by southern discourses. Most of the remote cities have less inhabitants, need to adapt to a harsh climate and are confronted with impacts of the climate crisis, infrastructural challenges, outmigration and structural transformations. Moreover, many cities in the European Arctic were built on traditional Indigenous land and represent the nexus of urbanisation, (resource) extraction and colonialism. However, similar to cities in other parts of the world, also cities in the European Arctic are home to a diverse population: people with different professions, people from more southern regions, migrants from other parts of the world, youth and elderly people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people live altogether and shape the identities of the city. However, this ideal of multiple identities and urban inclusiveness is contested. By exploring the case of Kiruna in Northern Sweden, this paper’s objective is twofold: Following an interdisciplinary approach through combing theoretical and conceptual lenses from engineering and social sciences, we firstly examine critically in how far different identities are visible and tangible in the selected city. Secondly, we argue for just and inclusive structures that are open to minorities’ identities as stated by the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development for achieving a more culturally sensitive sustainable urban development. This paper makes a strong case to reflect on urban colonial legacies and local impacts from the ongoing green transition in the European Arctic (and beyond), stress the relevance of the integration of different knowledges for sustainable (urban) development and establish inclusiveness as vital part of a just transition.

At first glance, cities in the European Arctic differ from a traditional framing that is mostly shaped by southern discourses. Most of the remote cities have less inhabitants, need to adapt to a harsh climate and are confronted with impacts of the climate crisis, infrastructural challenges, outmigration and structural transformations. Moreover, many cities in the European Arctic were built on traditional Indigenous land and represent the nexus of urbanisation, (resource) extraction and colonialism. However, similar to cities in other parts of the world, also cities in the European Arctic are home to a diverse population: people with different professions, people from more southern regions, migrants from other parts of the world, youth and elderly people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people live altogether and shape the identities of the city. However, this ideal of multiple identities and urban inclusiveness is contested. By exploring the case of Kiruna in Northern Sweden, this paper’s objective is twofold: Following an interdisciplinary approach through combing theoretical and conceptual lenses from engineering and social sciences, we firstly examine critically in how far different identities are visible and tangible in the selected city. Secondly, we argue for just and inclusive structures that are open to minorities’ identities as stated by the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development for achieving a more culturally sensitive sustainable urban development. This paper makes a strong case to reflect on urban colonial legacies and local impacts from the ongoing green transition in the European Arctic (and beyond), stress the relevance of the integration of different knowledges for sustainable (urban) development and establish inclusiveness as vital part of a just transition.

At first glance, cities in the European Arctic differ from a traditional framing that is mostly shaped by southern discourses. Most of the remote cities have less inhabitants, need to adapt to a harsh climate and are confronted with impacts of the climate crisis, infrastructural challenges, outmigration and structural transformations. Moreover, many cities in the European Arctic were built on traditional Indigenous land and represent the nexus of urbanisation, (resource) extraction and colonialism. However, similar to cities in other parts of the world, also cities in the European Arctic are home to a diverse population: people with different professions, people from more southern regions, migrants from other parts of the world, youth and elderly people, Indigenous and non-Indigenous people live altogether and shape the identities of the city. However, this ideal of multiple identities and urban inclusiveness is contested. By exploring the case of Kiruna in Northern Sweden, this paper’s objective is twofold: Following an interdisciplinary approach through combing theoretical and conceptual lenses from engineering and social sciences, we firstly examine critically in how far different identities are visible and tangible in the selected city. Secondly, we argue for just and inclusive structures that are open to minorities’ identities as stated by the 2030 Agenda on Sustainable Development for achieving a more culturally sensitive sustainable urban development. This paper makes a strong case to reflect on urban colonial legacies and local impacts from the ongoing green transition in the European Arctic (and beyond), stress the relevance of the integration of different knowledges for sustainable (urban) development and establish inclusiveness as vital part of a just transition.

Attacks on healthcare in situations of armed conflict have been reported at alarming levels over the past two decades. In response to this problem, the UN Security Council unanimously passed Resolution 2286, which urges states to collect data on attacks on medical personnel, transport, and facilities. This data is essential to understand the scale and scope of the problem, protect health services and workers, prioritize resources to those most impacted, prevent future attacks, and hold perpetrators accountable.

This paper examines why data on threats to and attacks on healthcare in conflict is important to protection, advocacy, and investigation and how it can be improved and harmonized. It provides an overview of existing data-collection efforts—namely, the Surveillance System for Attacks on Health Care (SSA) and the database produced by the Safeguarding Health in Conflict Coalition (SHCC) in partnership with Insecurity Insight—and identifies challenges and gaps at both the policy and technical levels.

This paper concludes with the following recommendations for the World Health Organization (WHO), other UN entities, UN member states, and NGOs:

• The World Health Assembly should adopt a resolution calling on WHO to address the major concerns in the structure and operation of the SSA;
• WHO should make technical improvements to the quality and presentation of data in the SSA and be open to a range of data-collection methodologies;
• Other UN agencies, governments, and civil society organizations should take steps to improve the collection and sharing of data on attacks on healthcare to improve protection, prevention, and accountability; and
• Governments, NGOs, and other actors should increase the funding and capacity of existing data-collection initiatives.

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This paper outlines a proposal for a needs assessment process, drawing on the experiences of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and recent pilot needs assessments in the context of a research project conducted by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). This report is part of a series of background papers written in the context of a project by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and IDOS on “Investment Facilitation for Development.” The project supports the negotiations on a multilateral framework on investment facilitation for development by building negotiation capacity in developing (including least developed) countries, channeling ground-level and analytical expertise to negotiators and promoting public discussions of issues related to investment facilitation for development.

This paper outlines a proposal for a needs assessment process, drawing on the experiences of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and recent pilot needs assessments in the context of a research project conducted by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). This report is part of a series of background papers written in the context of a project by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and IDOS on “Investment Facilitation for Development.” The project supports the negotiations on a multilateral framework on investment facilitation for development by building negotiation capacity in developing (including least developed) countries, channeling ground-level and analytical expertise to negotiators and promoting public discussions of issues related to investment facilitation for development.

This paper outlines a proposal for a needs assessment process, drawing on the experiences of the Trade Facilitation Agreement (TFA) and recent pilot needs assessments in the context of a research project conducted by the German Institute of Development and Sustainability (IDOS). This report is part of a series of background papers written in the context of a project by the International Trade Centre (ITC) and IDOS on “Investment Facilitation for Development.” The project supports the negotiations on a multilateral framework on investment facilitation for development by building negotiation capacity in developing (including least developed) countries, channeling ground-level and analytical expertise to negotiators and promoting public discussions of issues related to investment facilitation for development.

The Climate Policy department of the DIW Berlin assesses the design, implementation, effect and governance of policy instruments for the transition to climate neutrality

The Climate Policy department of the DIW Berlin seeks a Postdoc (f/m/nonbinary) to pursue and lead innovative analysis and engage in dialogues with stakeholders and policy makers on the next generation of policy instruments with a focus on the industry or power sector. One new aspect to consider are emergency market interventions implemented in response to the energy crisis resulting in a new risk allocation between public and private actors as well as between countries. What are the implications for design of policies for the transition to climate neutrality with respect to distribution of costs and benefits, public acceptance, and financing costs?

Researchers at the department do not have any teaching obligations but are expected to contribute to the policy and transfer work of the department. Voluntary teaching opportunities exist at all levels.

The Firms and Markets department of the DIW Berlin analyzes the determinants of consumer choice, firm behavior, firms’ innovation activities and productivity, as well as entrepreneurship. Specifically, the department’s research is focused on the study of the causes and outcomes of market-related policies and institutions that affect competition and innovation. These policies include product market regulations, consumer, competition, industrial, and innovation policies.

The Firms and Markets department of the DIW Berlin seeks a Postdoc (f/m/nonbinary) to conduct innovative research in industrial organization with a focus on sustainability, in particular on technological change and the implications of investments in the decarbonization of the capital stock for firm productivity and consumer behavior.

Researchers at the department do not have any teaching obligations but are expected to contribute to the policy and transfer work of the department. Voluntary teaching opportunities exist at all levels

The departments research is empirical in nature. In an integrated approach, we analyze and test insights from industrial organization theory by means of a wide variety of micro-econometric tools. These tools include structural econometric models, policy evaluation and panel methods, as well as machine learning tools.

The Public Economics Department analyzes how financial, fiscal, and social policies influence economic decisions made by individuals, households, and companies. The department’s key focus is on fiscal and social policy in Germany, with analyses based on microsimulation models and microeconometric methods. Of particular interest are the behavioral patterns of households, companies, and policy makers, as well as the distributional effects of fiscal and social policy. 

The department of Public Economics of the DIW Berlin seeks a Postdoc (f/m/nonbinary) to conduct innovative research on the distributional and behavioral effects of climate change and climate policy. Of central interest is research related to consumer behavior, policy instruments to foster sustainable consumption, and the welfare implications of policies that combine climate and social policies. Voluntary teaching opportunities exist at all levels.

The Macroeconomics department analyzes the conduct of monetary and fiscal policy, especially in the euro area, the interaction between economic policies and inequality, and the questions related to climate change, the macroeconomy and its policy tools. The department is also part of the joint economic forecast group that provides a semi-annual forecast with in-depth policy advice to the German Federal Government.

 The Macroeconomics department of the DIW Berlin seeks a Postdoc (f/m/nonbinary) to conduct innovative research in macroeconomics or macrofinance with a focus on either (1) macro and sustainability or (2) the effects of climate change on the income- and wealth distribution or (3) the effects of climate change on the monetary- and fiscal transmission mechanism. Researchers at the department do not have any teaching obligations but are expected to contribute to the policy and transfer work of the department. Voluntary teaching opportunities exist at all levels.

The research of the department uses empirical methods but also theoretical models such as HANK models. The department aims at producing high quality academic output that contributes to shaping the fields of macroeconomics.

The department Energy, Transportation, Environment investigates strategies of sustainable development in the fields of energy, transportation and environment in order to formulate sound policy recommendations. Transforming the energy system and the effects of energy and climate policy on resource and environmental markets are prime areas of research. We also investigate specific aspects of transport markets. The department develops and applies open-source optimization and equilibrium models, as well as state-of-the-art econometric methods in its research towards a climate-friendly, competitive, and secure energy supply and mobility.

 The department Energy, Transportation, Environment of the DIW Berlin seeks a Postdoc (f/m/nonbinary) to conduct innovative research in the field of the social-ecological transformation. We are looking for a researcher focusing on the structural change and wider social-ecological impacts related to the energy transition. This may include aspects of workforce skills and employment, structural sectoral and technological changes, as well as life cycle aspects of key transition technologies. Another potential field of research are factors that may influence the speed of the transformation and the deployment of renewable energy and sector coupling technologies, for example, social acceptance or frictions in national and international supply chains.

Researchers at the department do not have any teaching obligations but are expected to contribute to the policy and transfer work of the department. Voluntary teaching opportunities exist at all levels

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has put into sometimes sharp relief the different perspectives of inter- and transnational cooperation. The violation of the rules-based order after WWII caused shockwaves, specifically in Europe. Experiences of partners in, say, Africa or Asia with this international order historically differ from the European ones; consequently, even if we might share values, perspectives differ. While inter- and transnational cooperation is more needed than ever, cooperation takes place across deepened ideological rifts and conflicting material interests. This is a politically more complex world.

We thus need better structures for transnational knowledge cooperation and individuals who have the skills to navigate unchartered and sometimes choppy waters and address tensions in these difficult times. Training of actors is thus crucial, as a "Zeitenwende" is characterised by the absence of "business as usual". Consequently, building and strengthening competencies of staff (and partners) to enable them to (re)act to and shape new and challenging situations matters largely for transnational cooperation.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has put into sometimes sharp relief the different perspectives of inter- and transnational cooperation. The violation of the rules-based order after WWII caused shockwaves, specifically in Europe. Experiences of partners in, say, Africa or Asia with this international order historically differ from the European ones; consequently, even if we might share values, perspectives differ. While inter- and transnational cooperation is more needed than ever, cooperation takes place across deepened ideological rifts and conflicting material interests. This is a politically more complex world.

We thus need better structures for transnational knowledge cooperation and individuals who have the skills to navigate unchartered and sometimes choppy waters and address tensions in these difficult times. Training of actors is thus crucial, as a "Zeitenwende" is characterised by the absence of "business as usual". Consequently, building and strengthening competencies of staff (and partners) to enable them to (re)act to and shape new and challenging situations matters largely for transnational cooperation.

Russia’s attack on Ukraine has put into sometimes sharp relief the different perspectives of inter- and transnational cooperation. The violation of the rules-based order after WWII caused shockwaves, specifically in Europe. Experiences of partners in, say, Africa or Asia with this international order historically differ from the European ones; consequently, even if we might share values, perspectives differ. While inter- and transnational cooperation is more needed than ever, cooperation takes place across deepened ideological rifts and conflicting material interests. This is a politically more complex world.

We thus need better structures for transnational knowledge cooperation and individuals who have the skills to navigate unchartered and sometimes choppy waters and address tensions in these difficult times. Training of actors is thus crucial, as a "Zeitenwende" is characterised by the absence of "business as usual". Consequently, building and strengthening competencies of staff (and partners) to enable them to (re)act to and shape new and challenging situations matters largely for transnational cooperation.

That inter-ministerial competition doesn’t make for more successful foreign policy is a commonplace observation. However, it isn’t enough that all parts of government pull together, they must move together in the right direction.

That inter-ministerial competition doesn’t make for more successful foreign policy is a commonplace observation. However, it isn’t enough that all parts of government pull together, they must move together in the right direction.

That inter-ministerial competition doesn’t make for more successful foreign policy is a commonplace observation. However, it isn’t enough that all parts of government pull together, they must move together in the right direction.