Call for Papers – WIDER Development Conference 2026: Growth, Governance, and Geopolitics in a Fractured World Order
Dates: 18–20 March 2026
Location: New Delhi, India
Proposal Deadline: 1 September 2025, 23:59 UTC+3
The United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), in collaboration with the Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), New Delhi, invites submissions for the 2026 WIDER Development Conference. The conference will bring together leading academics, researchers, and policymakers to explore transformative shifts in the global economic order, with a particular focus on implications for the Global South.
Conference Overview
Titled “Growth, Governance, and Geopolitics in a Fractured World Order,” the 2026 conference will examine critical issues shaping today’s development landscape. In an era marked by economic fragmentation, shifting geopolitical alliances, and climate urgency, the event will provide a platform for dialogue and debate on sustainable, inclusive growth models for low- and middle-income countries.
Through a mix of keynote lectures, plenary sessions, and parallel research presentations, the conference will foster evidence-based policy dialogue. Emphasis will be placed on translating cutting-edge research into actionable policy solutions. Sessions will be chaired by policy experts and co-hosted with prominent regional and international institutions.
Themes for Paper Submissions
UNU-WIDER welcomes proposals offering fresh, policy-relevant insights that align with the conference’s central themes. Priority will be given to research that offers innovative analysis, empirical evidence, and clear implications for the Global South. Suggested topics include but are not limited to:
1. Global Economic Governance
- The evolving architecture of global economic governance
- Determinants and solutions to the global debt crisis
- Development financing and the role of multilateral and regional development banks
- Emerging donors and new models of development cooperation
2. Trade, Technology, and Investment
- Implications of the breakdown in multilateral trade systems for low-income countries
- South-South trade and investment patterns
- Technology transfer, intellectual property, and development in the Global South
- Building regional value chains for sustained economic growth
3. Industrialization and Economic Strategy
- Lessons from East Asia’s industrial strategies and their relevance for South Asia and sub-Saharan Africa
- Green industrialization and clean energy transition strategies for the Global South
- Policy frameworks to support green growth, including environmental taxation and climate-aligned fiscal policies
- Circular economy models and climate crisis response in low-income contexts
4. Inequality and Inclusive Development
- Drivers of global inequality and pathways toward reduction
- Labour market dynamics and strategies for inclusive growth
- Intergenerational mobility: patterns, barriers, and policy responses
- Alternative growth pathways, including the role of services and manufacturing sectors
Submission Guidelines
Researchers wishing to present at the 2026 WIDER Development Conference must submit a detailed proposal addressing one or more of the outlined themes. Submissions should emphasize relevance to contemporary policy challenges and demonstrate methodological rigor.
- Deadline for submissions: 1 September 2025, 23:59 UTC+3
- Submission portal and full guidelines: See full call for papers.
For more information and to submit, please visit UN-WIDER official website.
About the Conference
The WIDER Development Conference series is a global platform for advancing research and policy on key development challenges. Each conference is designed to bridge the gap between academic findings and policy implementation by engaging a diverse audience of stakeholders.
The 2026 edition aims to address urgent global challenges such as shifting geopolitical dynamics, the rise of emerging economy donors, the need for sustainable industrial growth, and the urgency of addressing climate and economic inequalities.
Organizers
United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER)
Institute for Studies in Industrial Development (ISID), New Delhi.
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