African woman preparing vegetablesEconomics

Economics is one of University of Copenhagen's core research areas in relation to developing countries.

The research area covers

  • Improved living conditions in developing countries, focusing on the role and opportunities of developing countries in a global economy
  • International trade, trade rules, development policies and social prioritization
  • Understanding of growth and change processes, individual welfare and the behaviour and opportunities of households and companies

Relevant centres and departments

Department of Economics

General economic theory and methodology has a central position in the research profile of the Department of Economics. It is the Department's philosophy that a solid foundation in economic theory and methodology is an important prerequisite for the contribution of new knowledge in economics. It is furthermore the Department's policy to carry out both basic research and applied research. The Development Economics Research Group (DERG) at the department aims at promoting high-quality policy relevant research in development economics. The research area of Development Economics mainly covers problems related to economic development (e.g., poverty, economic aid, income distribution) taking both a theoretical and applied perspective.

Department of Food and Resource Economics

It is the mission of Department of Food and Resource Economics to conduct high level basic, applied and business-oriented social science research. The main research areas are: 1) Production, Markets and Policy, 2) Consumption, Bioethics and Governance, 3) Environmental and Natural Resources and 4) Global Development. The area of Global Development covers research on economic, political, environmental, and institutional dynamics in developing countries. Research areas include issues of livelihoods, small-scale industry, trade, and labour; of climate change mitigation and adaptation; of forest and natural resource management; of resource conflicts and land grabbing; and of governance, state formation, and corruption.

Copenhagen Centre for Development Research

The Copenhagen Centre for Development Research was a group of social science researchers working with development issues. The Centre was located at the Department of Food and Resource Economics. The primary aim of the Centre was to deliver high-quality and policy relevant development research and to actively engage in ongoing policy debates. Adopting a bottom-up approach the Centre aimed to strengthen academic co-operation and dialogue between institutions undertaking social science based research on development issues, develop and promote graduate and post-graduate education in development studies and actively contribute to public debates on development issues.

Development Economics Research Group

The Development Economics Research Group (DERG) at the Department of Economics aims at promoting high-quality policy relevant research in development economics. Research themes are: 1) The developing countries in the global economy, including globalization, international trade and capital movements, 2) National economic development policies, including structural adjustment, growth and transitional economics and 3) Agriculture, environment and resource utilization, including the links between poverty, agriculture, natural resources and local institutions. Three cross cutting themes, i.e. theory of development economics, poverty and food security, and aid policy, are also covered. DERG is together with local and international partners responsible for large scale research activities in Mozambique and Vietnam.