Location
The GIGA German Institute of Global and Area Studies is an independent social science research institute based in Hamburg, Germany. Our mission is to analyse political, social, and economic developments in Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East, as well as global issues. As a member of the Leibniz Association, we are committed to the Leibniz principle of “theoria cum praxi”: science for the benefit of society.
A Truly Global Approach
The GIGA stands for an approach that is global in content, reach, and structure. It combines in-depth area expertise with comparative, interdisciplinary, and multi-level analysis, generating insights that are relevant from an academic and a real-world perspective. It takes into account the philosophical traditions and historical experiences of all world regions and reaches out to a global audience. We are proud to collaborate with leading institutions and researchers worldwide, and to apply a well-informed, inclusive, and pluralistic view to scholarship and policy. Find out more about our approach and vision (PDF).
Research
The world is in a state of transition. Economies and societies around the globe are becoming increasingly interdependent; rising powers such as China and India are exerting growing influence; and while new opportunities are arising, new forms of terrorism, violence, and conflict are also emerging. Building on its reputation as one of the leading research institutes for Area Studies and Comparative Area Studies, the GIGA is committed to using academic rigour to help make sense of the increasingly complex world situation. Read more about our research.
Knowledge Transfer and Policy Advice
Our researchers are sought-after experts among decision makers in politics, business, and civil society, as well as among media representatives and other stakeholders. Research-based policy advice and knowledge transfer to the wider public are essential elements of our mandate. Thus, not only are our research findings published in the top peer-reviewed academic journals and prestigious university publishing houses, but our outreach activities also include our three well-established publication series and impactful public and exclusive events. Find out more.
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Resources
Displaying 1 - 5 of 6International Land Deals for Agriculture
Land acquisitions continue to be an important trend
Large-scale land acquisitions continue to be an important issue for governments, development organisations, NGOs and farmers’ organisations all over the world; this remains the case even in times of global economic slowdown, recession and crisis. The scale of this trend and its significant impacts on rural transformation and livelihoods make it necessary to further monitor, observe and positively influence such deals wherever possible.
Contestations over indigenous participation in Bolivia’s extractive industry: ideology, practices, and legal norms
The participatory rights of indigenous peoples have been at the center of conflicts over resource extraction, which have recently increased in number and intensity across Latin America. Using comprehensive empirical data about the Guaraníes’ participation in Bolivia’s gas sector, this study finds that competing claims regarding territory, property, participation, and decision making provide important explanations for contestations over consultation practices and legal norms in the country.
It argues that the main conflicts can be explained by:
Rethinking the consultation-conflict link: lessons from Bolivia’s gas sector
This paper shows that consultations do not only appease conflicts, but also exacerbate them as these procedures are used to negotiate broader grievances. The author further argues that narrow consultations (like those carried out in Bolivia) – rather than comprehensive ones – repress conflicts in the short term by limiting opportunities to mobilize against extractive projects.
Why is prior consultation not yet an effective tool for conflict resolution? The case of Peru
This Working Paper from the German Institute of Global and Area Studies argues that new legislation in Peru will not help to turn prior consultations into a tool for conflict resolution as long as the normative framework itself is contested and the necessary basic conditions are not in place.
Large Scale Agricultural Investments under Poor Governance Systems
This paper analyses the Zambian land governance system, the actors and institutions shaping it and its reaction to the new interest in farmland. We draw theories from New Institutional Economics and base our empirical analyses on expert interviews and focus group discussions conducted in Zambia.