Water and sanitation for all? About the challenges of providing access to drinkable water in Niger
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Water and sanitation for all? About the challenges of providing access to drinkable water in Niger

The United Nations Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) number 6 targets: “Ensure availability and sustainable management of water and sanitation for all”. But what are the challenges on the ground in rural West Africa? Lémonla Armel Otekpo, a master student in the DAAD-funded and ZEF-run project «West African Center for Sustainable Rural Transformation» (WAC-SRT) and Segbedji…

Following the science at COP26: Insights and Observations on the Integration of Scientific Findings in International Climate Policy
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Following the science at COP26: Insights and Observations on the Integration of Scientific Findings in International Climate Policy

This blog post was written by Sara Velander and Niklas Wagner, both doctoral researchers at ZEF’s doctoral program BIGS-DR. They spent nearly two weeks at the COP26 in Glasgow, UK (Oct. 31- Nov. 12, 2021) and observed six negotiations sessions, attended 14 side events, and conducted 19 semi-structured interviews there. Read about their impressions, observations…

Darkest before dawn: Reflections on my COP 26 experience
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Darkest before dawn: Reflections on my COP 26 experience

In this blog post, ZEF- and Right Livelihood College (RLC) junior researcher Irene Awino Ojuok from Kenya relates about her impressions, experiences and insights of her participation in the COP 26 in Glasgow, United Kingdom (October 31-November 13, 2021). She was invited by the Global EverGreening Alliance (GEA) whom she represented as an Ambassador. Irene…

Reflections on a PhD journey to two continents: researching the slums of Islamabad and Brasilia
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Reflections on a PhD journey to two continents: researching the slums of Islamabad and Brasilia

ZEF researcher Arslan Waheed (from Pakistan) wrote his doctoral thesis on ‘Development Discourses and Urban Poor: A Comparative Study of Slums of Islamabad and Brasilia’. He defended his thesis successfully on  August 27, 2021 and obtained his doctoral degree from Bonn University’s Faculty of Arts. His research was funded by the German Exchange Service DAAD)….

Development, peace, and violence in Colombia
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Development, peace, and violence in Colombia

By Alejandro Mora Motta, Carolina Tobón Ramírez, Emilia Schmidt, & Estefanía Montoya Domínguez *) The peace agreement signed in Colombia in 2016 between the government of former president Juan Manuel Santos and the Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia – People’s Army (FARC-EP) was celebrated worldwide. However, five years later, Colombia is still experiencing social crises,…

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How ZEF doctoral researchers conducted field research during the Covid-19 pandemic 2020-21

Field research during pandemic times in Colombia: context and challenges By Daiana Castillo López After more than one year working on the research proposal, imagining every day how it would be developed, preparing the documents, permits, licenses, and hoping for the approval of the budget, my field research finally started on October 22, 2020. The…

ZEF in the City continued. A critical urban studies research group
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ZEF in the City continued. A critical urban studies research group

In 2021, the need to engage and deepen our understanding of ‘the city’ increased due to the repercussions brought upon by the COVID-19 pandemic. Two junior researchers of ZEF’s Department for Political and Cultural Change, Amit Kumar and Maryoriet Rosales, decided to organize a virtual meeting on April 6, 2021 with researchers engaged in conducting…