This discussion paper reports on a number of key emerging research findings from a multi-year collaborative research project into overcoming sorcery accusation-related violence (SARV) in Papua New Guinea (PNG). In particular it identifies: (1) the characteristics of those accused and harmed by...

Previous studies have mostly focused on the relationship between macroeconomic shocks and trade balance adjustments of resource-rich countries while largely overlooked countries with trade composition of high resource-export and strong import-dependence such as Papua New Guinea. Utilising a...

Anti-corruption campaigns often include an awareness raising component which highlights the negative consequences of corruption; the idea is that awareness will empower citizens to demand a change. However, experiences from developing countries suggest that messages that highlight corruption's...

This paper reports on a survey experiment designed to test whether support for aid is more readily increased by emphasising aid's benefits to the donor country, or by emphasising aid's role in helping people in developing countries. The survey experiment was pre-registered and involved a large,...

The two-decade long tariff reduction program (TRP) represents a push by Papua New Guinea (PNG) toward a more open trade regime, beginning in 1999. The 2018 and 2019 tariff increases have reversed this process. By reviewing the experiences of previous trade policies, and the relevant trade...

This paper makes use of data from the Papua New Guinea Election Results Database. It draws on an exercise in which we standardised the spelling of candidate names to allow for intertemporal analysis. Our central research questions included: whether the share of more experienced MPs in Papua New...

This Discussion Paper presents the findings of initial research into palliative care in Solomon Islands. This research sought to explore the current palliative care policy and service landscape in Solomon Islands, existing strengths to expand upon, and opportunities for future action and...

Papua New Guinea's Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) project has been beset by an intractable ‘landowner problem' since 2009, throughout its construction and operation. This paper begins by proposing that the problem has four different aspects or dimensions, each of which can be considered as a...

Community-driven development, or CDD, is a widely used participatory project methodology that delivers public goods chosen by communities. However, its utility has often been questioned, with claimed impacts on equality and social cohesion falling under particular scrutiny. With that criticism...

What leads a donor to change the trajectory of its aid policy? Surprisingly little is known about the political dynamics that drive the aid policy decision making process. Notwithstanding recent advances, the role public opinion plays in shaping aid policy remains poorly understood, as does the...