International Development Economics Associates (IDEAs) is a pluralist network of progressive economists across the world, engaged in research, teaching, and dissemination of critical analyses of economic policy and development. Its members are motivated by the need to strengthen and develop alternatives to the current mainstream economic paradigm as formulated by the neoliberal orthodoxy. The organization is based in the South and led by economists based in several developing countries, but membership of the network is open to all those committed to developing and using alternative heterodox tools of economic analysis appropriate for meeting contemporary development challenges.

Concern with the development process has been central to the study of economics from its inception. However, in the past two decades, the tradition of development economics that emphasised structural change and systemic processes has been increasingly marginalised in the teaching and practice of economics, just as policy approaches that relied upon market regulation, government intervention, and collective action also lost ground. Now more than ever, it is evident that the mainstream economic paradigm, as formulated by neoliberal orthodoxy, has failed to achieve sustainable, equitable, and participatory growth. Therefore there is a need to develop critiques of the mainstream paradigm as well as to develop alternative analytical approaches and policy proposals that are based on current realities but aimed at moving economic processes in a more progressive, egalitarian, and democratic direction.

With this basic vision, the objectives of IDEAs are:

• - to encourage and develop heterodox analyses of economic development issues through research, theoretical debates, empirically-based investigations, and policy discussions;
• - to create an international medium for the exchange of scholarly and policy-oriented work on such issues;
• - to increase the visibility of and access to works and analyses of alternative heterodox groups and scholars;
• - to engage with fellow economists, particularly young economists, in order to enhance capacity building in research, teaching, policy-making, and advocacy; and
• - to promote interaction between research activities, policy advocacy, and activism, and to reinforce the links between academics, activists, policy makers, and other practitioners in networks working on similar issues.

Background

IDEAs was established in September 2001, following a conference in Cape Town, South Africa, on ‘Rethinking Development Economics’ organised by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development (UNRISD) with the support of the Ford Foundation. The first Executive Committee was chosen at that conference, with the mandate to establish and build the IDEAs network. Subsequently, there have been some changes in the Executive Committee, with the approval of members.

With financial support from UNRISD, a secretariat was set up in New Delhi in October 2001. For ease of financial transactions, IDEAs was formally registered in London, UK, as a charitable friendly society in August 2002. IDEAs is registered as an Industrial and Provident Society Number IP29339R.