NIGHT OWL

We are living in a time of transformation. From the lasting effects of the Covid-19 pandemic and escalating conflicts to the rapid emergence of artificial intelligence and the deepening climate crisis, the world is undergoing profound and overlapping shifts. The field of international development stands at the crossroads of these challenges. It is no longer sufficient to rely on inherited models or assume that solutions forged in one context will universally apply. What is needed now are fresh voices, bold ideas, and inclusive approaches — ones that center justice, equity, and sustainability in every discussion about progress.

It is within this spirit that the London School of Economics International Development Review (LSE IDR) officially opens its call for submissions for the 2025 issue. As editor-in-chief for this year’s edition, I am honored to lead a passionate and interdisciplinary editorial team composed of Imane Belrhiti and Caitlin Rieuwerts as Deputy Editors, and Cyprine Odada, Sofia Zarama, and Hanna Dooley as Section Editors. Together, we are curating a publication that reflects the complexity and urgency of our time while creating space for emerging perspectives and underrepresented voices.

Our first issue is scheduled for publication in the second quarter of 2025, with additional special editions planned later in the year. We are inviting submissions from students, academics, and practitioners across disciplines and geographies — particularly those from communities and regions often left out of mainstream development discourse.

This year’s issue will focus on seven core themes that we believe are at the forefront of global development debates:

• Artificial intelligence and development
• The impact of war and conflict on development
• Climate change, environmental sustainability, and Indigenous knowledge
• Global health and pandemic response
• Migration, refugees, human rights, and Indigenous peoples
• Economic inequality, inclusive growth, and Indigenous economies
• Governance, corruption, institutional development, and Indigenous rights

These themes are not simply topical — they are intersections where power, history, and innovation collide. As we move further into the 21st century, we need to ask critical questions: Who benefits from development? Who decides what progress looks like? What knowledge systems are we privileging, and which are we ignoring?

At LSE IDR, we seek contributions that interrogate these questions and offer alternative visions. We welcome original research, analytical essays, policy briefs, and case studies that reflect rigorous thought and grounded experience. Submissions will undergo a thorough editorial and peer review process, with selection based on originality, clarity, and contribution to the field.

What sets this journal apart is its commitment to diversity — not only in terms of who writes, but in how development is understood. We are especially keen to feature work that draws on interdisciplinary methods, prioritizes voices from the Global South, and engages with grassroots movements, Indigenous knowledge, or non-traditional paradigms of development. Whether you are an early-career scholar examining institutional reform or a practitioner navigating post-conflict reconstruction, we believe your voice matters.

For years, LSE IDR has served as a platform for critical thought and inclusive dialogue within the international development community. In this 2025 issue, we aim to push that mission further — to curate a space where policy meets lived experience, and where theory is tested against real-world challenges.
As the global development landscape continues to evolve, so too must our frameworks for understanding it. This issue is not only an opportunity to contribute to academic discourse — it is a chance to shape how development is conceived, critiqued, and practiced.

We invite you to be part of this conversation. Let us co-create a journal that challenges, inspires, and redefines what it means to develop — together.