Rachel Gisselquist Email & Phone Number

I am a political scientist and international development professional with two decades of experience in academia, applied policy research, and international research leadership. I have spent about a decade with the United Nations and previously worked with Harvard, MIT, and the World Bank. In September, I joined the University of Birmingham as Professor in Governance and Development, and Director of the Governance and Social Development Resource Centre (GSDRC). Do check out https://gsdrc.org/ - updates coming!Previously, I was based with the United Nations University, World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER), where I was as Senior Research Fellow. During 2019-23, I served as a member of the Senior Management Team, and of the Steering Group of the 'SA-TIED' programme on inclusive economic development in South Africa, a collaboration of UNU-WIDER, the South African National Treasury, SARS, and FCDO - https://sa-tied.wider.unu.edu. Among other roles, I have served as Chair of the UN University's Ethics Review Board.My work focuses on issues of inequality, including between ethnic groups; the state, governance, and democracy; and development cooperation and the interaction between international and domestic actors. I have area expertise in sub-Saharan Africa, although my most recent work has been more cross-country.I have led multiple international research projects in these areas, including generating research income, and managing research budgets and associated research and non-research staff. I have a track record of prioritizing inclusivity, diversity, and capacity development in my work.I am currently a co-Principal Investigator for the project, 'The Impact of Inequality on Growth, Human Development, and Governance-@EQUAL', which is supported by a 1.5 million Euro grant from the Novo Nordisk Foundation. It is a collaboration of the University of Copenhagen, UNU-WIDER, the Central Institute for Economic Management in Vietnam, and Eduardo Mondlane University in Mozambique. I have published 30+ articles/chapters and edited/co-edited 2 books and 13 journal special issues in well-regarded academic outlets such as World Development and Journal of Ethnic and Migration Studies. I also write for outlets with a broader audience such as The Conversation UK. In 2007-09, I co-authored the first two editions of the Ibrahim Index of African Governance, which has become a standard reference on governance.I hold a PhD (MIT), Master of Public Policy (MPP, Harvard), and Bachelor of Science in Foreign Service (BSFS, Georgetown).

Listed skills include International Development, Policy Analysis, Public Policy, Political Science, and 38 others.

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  Senior Research Fellow

  Unu-Wider - United Nations University World Institute For Development Economics

  Birmingham, Gb