Der vermeintliche Siegeszug der Demokratie ist gestoppt. Demokratieförderung – in den 1990er Jahren die Boom-„Industrie“ der internationalen Zusammenarbeit – steht in der Kritik. Doch gute Gründe, Demokratie zu fördern, gibt es nach wie vor. Neue Erfolge aber erfordern ein Umdenken:...

Social cohesion' and the 'social contract' are two related analytical concepts, which have become increasingly popular among researchers and practitioners. Both concepts help to understand and characterise societies and countries by shedding light on the relationships between members and groups...

While there is substantial evidence of the effect of social protection on poverty and vulnerability, limited research has focused on societal outcomes. This paper serves as introduction to a special issue (SI) examining the relationship between social protection and social cohesion in low- and...

In September 2001, the MDGs were approved by the 56th UN General Assembly. The international community is thus in possession of a common goal system that has been agreed upon by all relevant actors and that is both measurable and set to be implemented by a fixed date. The intention is that both,...

The study specifies the meaning of “social basic protection” as well as the positions significant development actors have adopted in connection with fighting poverty. But this study should not merely provide an important educational basis for our own position finding process and concept...

This working paper investigates what effects cash-for-work (CfW) can have on local economic development (LED). It is based on the hypothesis that CfW, which is targeted provision of jobs to vulnerable households, affects LED directly (through employment and income for workers and the creation of...

After independence, energy and food subsidies became a cornerstone of the social contracts in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) countries. Governments spent heavily to reduce poverty and strengthen their own legitimacy. However, as government rents faded, subsidy spending became...

Favouritism is very common in the countries of the Middle East and North Africa, where it is usually referred to as "wasta" (connection). The study by Loewe et al. analyses the impact of wasta on the business climate. It presents the results of extensive empirical research conducted in Jordan...