Transforming livelihoods and institutions for a just, sustainable future
We are an interdisciplinary team of social scientists working across the globe to understand and reshape the relations between people, power and the planet. Together with communities and partners, we generate knowledge that drives equitable change.
Message from the Head of Department
Our department is a diverse collective of passionate social scientists committed to addressing some of the world's most pressing challenges. We believe in the power of interdisciplinary research and knowledge co-creation to improve lives and foster transformative change. By bringing together perspectives from anthropology, economics, geography, and beyond, we work to understand and influence the systems that shape our world. We are dedicated to research that is not only academically rigorous but also practically impactful, striving for a future that is both just and sustainable for all. We invite you to join us in this vital work, whether as a student, research partner, or collaborator.
Our Vision
Aligned with NRI's strategy, we are committed to improving lives through transformative change for a more just and sustainable world:
Livelihoods that are resilient and dignified
Inclusive institutions & fair governance
Peace & social cohesion in fragile settings
Transformative innovation & learning
Scholarship that shapes global debates
Our Research Centres & Groups
Centre for Society, Environment and Development
We confront pressing social and environmental injustices by advancing fair climate solutions, gender equity and sustainable rural livelihoods. As an interdisciplinary hub within NRI, we unite critical research, participatory engagement and capacity-building to empower communities, inform policy and foster resilient, peaceful societies.
Find out more about the centreOur Research Groups
Funding & Research Excellence
Competitive grants powering high-impact scholarship
UKRI Councils
Flagship AHRC, ESRC & MRC projects on climate justice, gender & food systems.
Horizon Europe
Pan-European consortia building resilient livelihoods and sustainable value chains.
Foundations
Support from the Gates & McKnight Foundations and the British Academy.
High-Impact Journals
Outputs in Global Environmental Change, Nature Sustainability & more.
Competitive funding and rigorous peer-reviewed research place LID at the forefront of global policy debates.
Knowledge Exchange & Advisory
Participatory MEL & learning studies for UN bodies and CGIAR programmes.
Evidence briefs & dialogue workshops for governments and regional agencies.
Creative, decolonial approaches that amplify community knowledge & voice.
LID academics also contribute to IPCC and IPBES assessments, ensuring that research informs global action.
Our Expertise
From climate finance to political ecology – a snapshot of current focal areas:
Education & Training
MSc Programme
Global Sustainable Development – small-group teaching on the Medway campus
Doctoral Research
We supervise an expanding cohort of PhD candidates and contribute to the UBEL ESRC Doctoral Training Partnership.