International Development and Aid
International Development and Aid is a research topic within Development. Science Explorer counts 39k research works in it since 1950. 28.2% of them reached the world's top 10% most cited for their field and year.
This cluster of papers explores the complex relationship between foreign aid, development policies, and economic growth. It delves into topics such as the effectiveness of aid, the impact of IMF programs, aid allocation strategies, governance issues, poverty reduction efforts, China's engagement in Africa, the role of NGOs, and the concept of conditionality in aid distribution.
- Foreign Aid
- Development Policies
- IMF Programs
- Aid Allocation
- Governance
- Poverty Reduction
- China-Africa Relations
- NGOs
- Conditionality
- Economic Growth
- Research works
- 39k fractional, since 1950
- In the world top 10%
- 11k per year above
- Top-10% rate
- 28.2% share of its works in the world top 10%
- Growth, 2013–17 → 2018–22
- +12% the tick is no change
Which countries lead International Development and Aid research?
By volume, the United States and the United Kingdom publish the most (1.1k and 578 works in 2022–2025).
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 United States 1.1k works
- 2 United Kingdom 578 works
- 3 China 537 works
- 4 Germany 486 works
- 5 Brazil 341 works
- 6 South Africa 329 works
- 7 India 278 works
- 8 Indonesia 203 works
- 9 Türkiye 194 works
- 10 Australia 192 works
How concentrated that is
The same countries as shares of everything the list above accounts for. A node where two countries do two thirds of the work and one spread evenly across twelve read alike as a ranking and not at all alike here.
Shares of the rows listed above, not of the whole node.
Which institutions lead International Development and Aid research?
By volume in 2022–2025, University of Johannesburg publishes the most International Development and Aid research, followed by Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy and University of Oxford.
By volume, 2022–2025
- 1 University of Johannesburg South Africa 75 works
- 2 Institute for Peace Research and Security Policy Germany 74 works
- 3 University of Oxford United Kingdom 45 works
- 4 Australian National University Australia 40 works
- 5 University of Pretoria South Africa 38 works
- 6 London School of Economics and Political Science United Kingdom 37 works
- 7 King's College London United Kingdom 35 works
- 8 University of Ghana Ghana 32 works
- 9 National University of Singapore Singapore 28 works
- 10 Fudan University China 28 works
Who are the leading researchers in International Development and Aid?
The most-cited researchers publishing on International Development and Aid include Robert J. Barro, Joseph E. Stiglitz and Francis Fukuyama.
- 1 Robert J. Barro 7.9k citations
- 2 Joseph E. Stiglitz 7.4k citations
- 3 Francis Fukuyama 4.1k citations
- 4 William Diebold 3.8k citations
- 5 Jeffrey A. Frankel 3.3k citations
- 6 G. John Ikenberry 3k citations
- 7 Benjamin K. Sovacool 2.9k citations
Ranked by citations received across their whole record, among researchers with at least three works on this topic.
Where is International Development and Aid research done?
The largest centres of International Development and Aid research in 2022–2025 are London (United Kingdom), Beijing (China), Washington D.C. (United States) and Johannesburg (South Africa). Among places with at least 20 works in it, it is an unusually large share of all research in Johannesburg, Accra and Yaoundé.
Largest cities, 2022–2025
- 1 London United Kingdom 182 works
- 2 Beijing China 177 works
- 3 Washington D.C. United States 124 works
- 4 Johannesburg South Africa 123 works
- 5 Moscow Russia 122 works
- 6 Hamburg Germany 110 works
- 7 Shanghai China 86 works
- 8 Paris France 77 works
- 9 Tokyo Japan 76 works
- 10 New Delhi India 73 works
Where it is the local speciality
- JohannesburgZA · 122.8 works14×
- AccraGH · 47.0 works12×
- YaoundéCM · 21.9 works12×
- RondeboschZA · 26.7 works11×
Location quotient: how much more of its research is in International Development and Aid than the world average.
Where is the best place to study International Development and Aid?
Among universities, judged by research, University of Johannesburg, European University Institute and Leiden University score highest, combining excellence, specialisation, size, growth and international reach. Research strength is one signal when choosing where to study; it does not measure teaching.
One dot per university in the table below. The upper left is the interesting corner: small places doing unusually strong work.
| # | University | Score | Top 10% | Specialisation | Works | Growth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | University of Johannesburg South Africa | 74.0 | 20.2% | 16.4× | 75 | +229.6% |
| 2 | European University Institute Italy | 69.7 | 46.9% | 24.6× | 14 | +182.0% |
| 3 | Leiden University Netherlands | 67.3 | 34.6% | 8.9× | 22 | +242.3% |
| 4 | Maastricht University Netherlands | 66.1 | 56.8% | 5.7× | 14 | +233.7% |
| 5 | London School of Economics and Political Science United Kingdom | 64.2 | 41.5% | 21.2× | 37 | -17.2% |
| 6 | Australian National University Australia | 62.4 | 31.8% | 11.1× | 40 | +12.0% |
| 7 | University of Sussex United Kingdom | 61.8 | 51.1% | 10.0× | 14 | +14.0% |
| 8 | University of Nairobi Kenya | 61.0 | 23.7% | 15.3× | 17 | +328.2% |
| 9 | University of Ghana Ghana | 60.8 | 19.5% | 20.6× | 32 | +102.5% |
| 10 | University of Pretoria South Africa | 59.4 | 14.3% | 12.2× | 38 | +112.5% |
Universities only. Score blends excellence (30%), specialisation (25%), size (20%), growth (15%) and international reach (10%), 2015–2022; growth compares 2010–14 with 2015–19.
Is International Development and Aid research growing?
Output in 2018–2022 was 12% higher than in 2013–2017, peaking in 2024. The fastest-growing topics are International Development and Aid.
The same series as a ribbon — one cell per year, darker for more. The line above answers how much; this answers when.
Which topics inside it are moving
Growth and decline on one axis around a shared zero. Two lists side by side hide the thing that matters: whether the growth dwarfs the decline, or the other way round.