Research Center
International Development
The Research Center "International Development" investigates the forces shaping global development, focusing on how countries, firms, and people are interconnected through migration, trade, and capital flows. We use survey data, experimental data, and geodata, typically analyzing them with microeconometric and machine learning methods.
We study several topics, including
- Migration:
We examine labor mobility, asylum, and the developmental impact of migration in countries of origin, as well as the effectiveness of EU and member state migration policies.
- Macroeconomics:
Our work addresses macroeconomic issues relevant for development, such as exchange rate policy and infrastructure needs in emerging economies, especially in Africa.
- Africa:
The focus continent of work is Africa, which will gain massive economic, geopolitical, and demographic significance in the coming decades. The Research Center coordinates the Africa-related work across the entire institute as part of the Kiel Institute Africa Initiative. Our projects are funded by the EU, federal ministries, the German Research Foundation, and others.
- Supply Chains:
We explore how global value chains affect economic development and how sustainability regulations, such as diligence laws, shape their governance.
- Institutions and Attitudes:
We study how norms, institutions, and preferences influence development. Topics include trust in post-conflict settings, attitudes toward foreign employers, and meritocratic structures in public administration.
- Development Cooperation:
We examine how development cooperation supports economic development and intersects with migration and institutions. Research questions include the potential to address the root causes of forced migration and the political-economic barriers to its effectiveness.
