Andrej Smirnov is a Research Assistant at ISDC. His Research interest include the interaction between inequality and growth, migration and economics of conflict. At ISDC, Andrej works on the “Gendered Dimension of Forced Displacement” project and assists with data analysis in the “Life with Corona” survey. Previously Andrej held Research Assistant positions at DeZIM-Institute (German […]
Alia Aghajanian
Alia is a research affiliate at ISDC and a micro-economist specialising in statistics and evidence-based decision making through the collection and analysis of household surveys, supporting national statistical systems, improving uptake of data and statistics, and analysing data and evidence rigorously and scientifically. She completed her PhD at the Institute of Development Studies, where she […]
What Works And What’s Next For Social Stability In Jordan?
The Syrian refugee influx into Jordan has heightened risks of conflict and insecurity in what has long been considered a bastion of stability in the region. Tensions between host and refugee populations over already- limited public services and employment opportunities have exacerbated existing grievances Jordanians hold against the government, and increase the risk of civil […]
ADB Country Diagnostic Study: Kyrgyz Republic: Improving Growth Potential
This study presents an in-depth analysis of the sector reforms needed to enable the Kyrgyz Republic to achieve higher and more sustainable economic growth. Dr Damir Esenaliev of ISDC has co-authored the chapter titled on Human Resources for Inclusive Growth.
Social Protection in Contexts of Fragility and Forced Displacement: Introduction to a Special Issue
Effective social protection is increasingly as essential to supporting affected populations in situations of protracted instability and displacement. Despite the growing use of social protection in these settings, there is comparatively little rigorous research on what works, for whom, and why. This special issue contributes by adding seven high-quality studies that raise substantially our understanding […]
Gendered Dimensions of Forced Displacement
A collaboration between ISDC and the Gender Group at the World Bank to review existing micro data sources and knowledge gaps related to the gendered experiences and impacts of forced displacement.
Call for Sessions and Papers: 5th Annual ‘Life in Kyrgyzstan’ Conference
Call for Papers and Sessions is open for the 5th Annual ‘Life in Kyrgyzstan’ Conference that will be held in Bishkek on 23-24 October 2019. The deadline is 16 June 2019.
Determinants and Dynamics of Forced Migration to Europe: Evidence from a 3-D Model of Flows and Stocks
Violent conflict is a well-recognised driver of forced migration but literature does not usually consider the pull factors that might also cause irregular movements. In turn, the decision to leave and of where to go are rarely considered separately. This is in contrast to literature on regular international migration, which considers both push and pull […]
Activity Choices of Internally Displaced Persons and Returnees: Quantitative Survey Evidence from Post-War Northern Uganda
We investigate post‐war economic activity choices of displaced and just‐returned individuals. In particular, the effect of living in an internally displaced persons camp on the choice of economic activities is analysed. Because individuals relocating away from camps may be different from those staying in them, a recursive bivariate probit procedure is used to control for […]
Impact Evaluation of UNHCR’s Engagement in Humanitarian-Development Cooperation
This project provides quantitative estimates of the impact of humanitarian-development cooperation on refugees and host communities in Ethiopia and Jordan.
Analyzing the Link Between Employment Programs and Social Stability – Phase II
A short- and medium-term impact evaluation of Mercy Corps’ DSH-ARC funded TVET programs for host and displaced communities in Lebanon and Syria, with the dual focus on boosting the employment prospects and improving intergroup perceptions of program beneficiaries.
Rural Youth in the Context of Fragility and Conflict
Conflict disproportionately takes place in countries with large numbers of young people living in rural areas. Yet, this group is seldom the specific focus of analysis in the conflict or rural development literatures. The project outlines what can be learned from prior literature and how it can be applied to rural youth.
Analyzing the Link Between Employment Programs and Social Stability – Phase I
This seed project brings together members of Mercy Corps field teams with ISDC researchers to generate jointly a research design for an impact evaluation of employment for peacebuilding programs in the Middle East.
Drivers of Mixed Migration: Analyzing the Determinants and the Role of Development and Security Policies in the MENA Region
In the aftermath of the Arab Spring, Europe has faced rising levels of forced displacement. This project sheds new light on the structure and determinants of forced displacement to Europe.
Philipp Schröder
Dr Philipp Schröder is a Research Affiliate with ISDC and a lecturer at the Department of Social and Cultural Anthropology, University of Freiburg. His current research project focuses on the ethnography of trade and translocal livelihoods in Eurasia, in particular Kyrgyzstan, Russia and China. Previously, Philipp was a member of the research group on ‘Integration […]
Maren M. Michaelsen
Dr. Maren M. Michaelsen is a Research Affiliate at ISDC. She is currently a postdoctoral researcher at the Institute for Integrative Health Care and Health Promotion in the Faculty of Health at Witten/Herdecke University, where she works as a behavioural economist on a “Nudging for health” project in an interdisciplinary team. Her research interests are […]
Sami Miaari
Sami Miaari is currently a Lecturer at the Department of Labor Studies in Tel-Aviv University and a Marie Skłodowska-Curie Fellow at the Blavatnik School of Government, Oxford University and an ISDC Affiliate. Dr. Miaari’s research focuses on labor economics, the economic causes and consequences of conflict, including the economic costs of political instability and the […]
Charles Martin-Shields
Dr. Charles Martin-Shields is a researcher at the German Development Institute in Bonn, Germany, and a Research Affiliate at ISDC. His research focuses on the role of ICTs and digitalization in development cooperation, with particular focuses on peacebuilding and migration. He has recently published research inWorld Development, International Studies Perspectives, International Peacekeeping, and has work […]
ISDC co-hosts the Fourth Annual Life in Kyrgyzstan conference in Bishkek
The Fourth Annual Life in Kyrgyzstan (LiK) conference took place in Bishkek on 17-18 October 2018. The academic event was attended by over 150 participants from 11 countries. The conference was organised by the University of Central Asia’s (UCA) Institute of Public Policy and Administration (IPPA), Leibniz Institute of Vegetable and Ornamental Crops (IGZ), and ISDC – International Security and Development Center. […]
Neil Ferguson
Dr Neil Ferguson is a Senior Researcher at ISDC and a Senior Research Associate at BIGS in Potsdam. He obtained his PhD in Economics in July 2013 from Heriot-Watt University, Edinburgh, focusing on theoretical and empirical analysis about the role of multiple aggressors in civil conflicts. His current research interests address a broad cross-section of […]