The Global Development Research Group

The Global Development Research Group (GDRG) is a postgraduate student-led forum within the Department of International Politics, Aberystwyth University. It is a discussion group interested in development understood broadly and encompassing issues of concern to developing countries, relations between developed and developing states, development aid and development studies as an academic discipline. 

One of the core objectives of the group is to raise the profile of 'non-Western' states and regions within the discipline of International Relations. The Group also aims to support research students by organising informal forums on research methods and practicalities of conducting fieldwork.

In addition to acting as a reading and discussion group, GDRG aims to host two external speakers per academic year, organise film screenings and encourage internal students and staff to present their work in progress. As the successor to the Third World Politics Research Group and the Africa Reading Group, the GDRG has steadily built its heritage accommodating and making the best use of its members' research interests. 

Convenors: Katja Daniels, Kate Kaczmarska, Katarina Kušić​, Desirée Poets or Melissa Mavris

Find the GDRG on Twitter @AberGDRG   

The GDRG’s focus 2014-2015

This academic year the special focus of the Global Development Research Group will be on state, the discourse of ‘state fragility’ and politics of international statebuilding. International statebuilding is well-institutionalized policy field and it is claimed to have become central to contemporary world affairs. We would like to discuss policies and discourse around international statebuilding with special focus on the model of the ‘liberal state’ and ‘hybrid statehood’.

For more details, please contact any of the convenors and follow us on Twitter @AberGDRG  

Programme 2014-2015, Semester Two 

Programme 2014-2015 Semester One

Programme 2013-2014

Programme 2012-2013

Programme 2011-2012

Programme 2010-2011

Programme 2009/10