Welcome to the STEPS centre website

Who benefits from GM crops? Will we have enough water to last this century? What are the implications of the HIV/Aids pandemic?

In an era of unprecedented social, environmental and technological change STEPS is linking environmental sustainability and technology with poverty reduction and social justice.

We are a global research and policy engagement centre, funded by the ESRC, bringing together development studies with science and technology studies.

 

New on the site

New options for southern African livestock industry

How can southern Africa benefit from the global ‘livestock revolution’? New policy options for trade, veterinary and food safety standards, disease control and management.
Policy briefings / Briefings Politique
More about this project
Pretoria workshop
Video interviews

Kofi Annan backs a 'Green Revolution' in Africa

Kofi Annan chaired a new vision for agricultural development in Africa conference, hosted by STEPS affiliate the Future Agricultures Consortium and the Salzburg Global Seminar.
Newsletters, media, photos, blog and more from this event

Geneva Health Forum

STEPS affiliate partner Future Health Systems takes part in the Geneva Health Forum, discussing the complexity of global access to health, integration of health systems and the global health workforce.

Conflicting visions for a hungry planet

To combat food shortages, spiralling prices and environmental catastrophe, the IAASTD report has called for sweeping changes to world farming. John Thompson takes a critical look, on the blog
On the blog: Melissa Leach at Resilience 2008

On the blog: Rethinking regulation in China

Adrian Ely blogs from Hubei province, China, where he has been talking to seed dealers and farmers for our Rethinking Regulation project.
Photos from Adrian's visit (Flickr)

Focus on water, sanitation and hygiene

To mark UN Sanitation and Hygiene Week (March 15-21), culminating in World Water Day, our researchers and partners have been focussing on the most pressing issues and challenges ahead.

Global uncertainties

STEPS director Melissa Leach writes for the ESRC's The Edge magazine on securing a safer, sustainable and equitable world
Building genuine pathways to a more secure future

Sussex Manifesto: science & technology for development

Listen to Geoff Oldham's Seminar on the Sussex Manifesto and its aftermath and download the original documents.
Material from previous STEPS seminars

Farmer First Revisited: twenty years on

In 1987 a meeting of 50 social and natural scientists proved a defining moment in the development of farmer participation in agricultural research.The Future Agricultures Consortium in association STEPS and IDS hosted an international workshop, Farmer First Revisited, to coincide with the 20th anniversary.
Videos, wiki-timeline, podcasts, papers, radio programme and more

Accomodating dissent

Providing cures for health problems isn't enough, if people's personal or cultural beliefs clash with the scientific approach. Policy-makers must recognize and engage with these objections, Melissa Leach argues in Nature magazine and on the Nature podcast.
Download article as a PDF (77kb)
Listen to the Nature podcast
More about Melissa's new book, Vaccine Anxieties

STEPS' first set of Working Papers

Seven volumes setting out the STEPS approach to our domains and themes with an overview paper by Melissa Leach, Ian Scoones and Andy Stirling.
Order from the bookshop or download online.
Special offer: all 7 papers for £20 (or £5 per paper)
More new publications from STEPS members

Village Voice: The Guardian profiles Melissa Leach

STEPS director Melissa Leach is interviewed in Education Guardian about putting local knowledge first, her passion for anthropology and the STEPS Centre. Podcast: Melissa on Guardian Weekly
More STEPS in the news

Video: why STEPS, why now?

Prof. Wakhungu, executive director of the African Centre for Technology Studies and chair of the STEPS Centre Advisory Board, sets out why she is involved and why STEPS' launch is "opportune".
Greenpeace, Demos & Practical Action help launch STEPS

More news

• Water, the ethics of efficiency Lyla Mehta writes for Food Ethics magazine about whether our food is too thirsty.(pdf 2MB)
• Journal articles by STEPS members
• Lagging behind: Linda Waldman writes for the Guardian on the House of Lords asbestos-related disease ruling
• Gerry Bloom interviewed about his work in China in the latest issue of Real Health News (pdf 1,380kb)
• Knowledge, Power and Politics: Leach's Linacre lecture
• Foot-and-mouth: Erik Millstone writes for the Guardian
• Andy Stirling interviewed by the Engineer magazine
• Erik Millstone on biotechnology crops for CNN
• Building inclusive citizenship and democracies: id21 Focus
  

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