Research Activities

The research mission of the IDE is to contribute to "sustained economic growth ", "political and social stability " in developing areas.

This area of the Institute’s research is aimed at improving the overall state of public welfare in the world’s developing nations and regions. This aim is underpinned by a desire for these economies to avoid over-dependence on aid and material support, and to achieve well-balanced economic growth with long-term sustainability. Countries are required to achieve economic growth while also improving the living standards of the world’s poorest and preserving the global environment. Such issues, which are epitomized by the United Nations’ Millennium Development Goals, are a matter of pressing concern to the global community. IDE is engaged in the study of a variety of developing economy issues, from economic activity and legal systems to human resources, poverty and the environment. All of theses areas need to be considered when seeking ways for sustained economic growth that would help eliminate poverty and preserve the earth’s natural environment.

[The current conditions surrounding developing countries]
After recovering from a recession following the burst of the dot-com bubble in the early 2000s, the global economy has witnessed a long period of favorable economic conditions, during which time developing countries have enjoyed high levels of growth. Two particular standouts are the Asian giants of China and India, who continue to drive this favorable economic climate. Deepening economic integration involving many countries around the world is expected to further facilitate regional trade and investment and underlie growth of such area’s developing economies. Set against this period of overall economic progress, however, are people and regions that have yet to reap any benefits from this growth and continue to live in extreme poverty. Eliminating poverty in Africa, in particular, has become a global issue that will be on the agenda of this year’s G8 summit meeting in Toyako, Japan. This period of economic growth has also heightened awareness of the twin issues of natural resources and the environment. The increased demand for primary commodities arising from economic development, such as oil, has resulted in significant rise in their prices. And while environmental issues on the global level, such as increasing global warming, continue to become more serious, local-level problems have also become the subject of increasing awareness. In 2007, the US economy slowed, due to the subprime mortgage crisis, and commodity prices rose dramatically, driven by speculative investments. The current situation surrounding the global economy requires intense scrutiny of how these recent fluctuations might impact developing economies.

In this context, political and social stability refers not only to a lack of violent conflict, but also encompasses a guarantee of safety at various levels between states, within states and regions, and among individuals. This means being able to establish and maintain conditions in which human rights are free and unfettered. In looking to establish the appropriate conditions for this in developing countries and regions, various factors that can lead to conflict need to be removed through a range of measures. Foremost among these is eliminating armed conflict and promoting changes to democratic forms of government and society. Taking this view, IDE aims to be at the center of current research on national governments, social structures, conflict issues, and peace-building in developing economies.

[The current conditions surrounding developing countries]
The political and social instability besetting developing countries today is emerging in a variety of different ways. The most serious danger is armed conflict that affect an entire state or region. Countries and regions in the Middle East and Africa are home to many of the world’s current armed conflicts, and the situation today remains relatively bleak. Increased efforts by the international community to resolve these conflicts are faced with a number or difficulties, as such efforts mean interference in the domestic affairs of a sovereign nation. While not to the level of armed conflict, states with oppressive regimes such as Myanmar and North Korea continue to be home to serious human rights violations. Moreover, the increasing degree of social contradictions in such countries often leads to the onset—from unforeseen incidents—of severe instability that can undermine state order. Recent events, such as the sudden and unexpected deterioration of conditions in Kenya, have shown that there are still many countries with fundamental weaknesses in their social and political systems, such as dysfunctional governments and social divisions rooted in ethnicity and religion. Set against these developments, however, are countries in East Asia and Latin America that are continuing to experience robust economic growth, with many nations in these regions enjoying a comparatively high level of stability. As the world continues to witness escalating environmental and labor actions, however, the inherent stresses involved with economic growth have the potential to lead to social unrest and instability, and need to be the focus of research and study. The current global situation requires a political response that balances the needs of political stability on a macro level with the social and civil rights of individuals of each country.

Below is IDE’s research policy, which is based on our goals, research mission and interpretations of the current global conditions.