CoSS PhD Scholarship - Power, Purse, and Policy: Understanding Donor Influence in Global Development

Information on the School/Research Group

This project is based in the subject group on International Political Economy & Development (IPED) in the School of Social and Political Sciences. IPED research is broadly interested in why and how politics and markets—on their own and jointly—matter for our understandings of power, wealth, and inequalities within and across societies. A specific research focus is on the policies and politics of international development organizations, including the World Bank and the United Nations.

Supervisory Team

Prinicipal Supervisor: Professor Bernhard Reinsberg

Secondary Supervisor(s): TBC

Project details

International development organisations (IDOs), such as those within the United Nations system, are grappling with profound financial challenges. Given stagnating core budgets, many IDOs have increasingly relied on earmarked funding to sustain operations and programs. While this funding model has often provided a necessary lifeline, a growing body of evidence has highlighted its considerable downsides, including decreases in organisational autonomy, performance and legitimacy, and recipient-country ownership that ultimately undermine the effectiveness of development interventions.

Important gaps remain in our knowledge of both the politics and the effects of IDO funding modalities. Four broad areas are of particular interest for further research.

First, the rising importance of non-sovereign donors warrants further investigation. How relevant are philanthropic foundations as providers of earmarked aid? How do their allocation choices and financial models, such as results-based aid and targeted interventions, affect the behaviour of sovereign donors and development effectiveness?

Second, the persistence of earmarked funding, despite its documented performance costs, requires further investigation. Research in this area should explore the motivations of key stakeholders—including donors, IDO officials, and recipients.

Third, more research is needed on the micro-level implications of earmarked funding on the individuals who implement and receive it. How does the shift to earmarked funding affect the daily work and motivations of both donor and IDO staff?

Fourth, earmarking can be understood as just one of many mechanisms of influence. Research could explore how it relates to other modalities, such as formal governance through governing boards, staffing decisions, and informal pressure points like co-location and dialogue.

This call for proposals invites doctoral research projects that seek to address these gaps and related issues. Proposals should advance our understanding of how the politics of IDO resourcing shape the effectiveness of international cooperation and development. Projects that employ a diverse range of (causal inference) methods and critically engage with these questions are particularly encouraged.

Eligibility

Applicants must meet the following eligibility criteria

• Applicants will have a strong Masters degree (or overseas equivalent) in Political Economy, International Relation, Development Studies, Economics or a related field.
• Applicants will have a demonstratable interest in the topic area under investigation
• Applicants can study part-time or full-time.
• Experience with quantitiative research methods (e.g. statisitcal analysis, working with datasets). Training will be provided if needed.

Desirable criteria:

• Experience working with global financial institutions, development organisations, or policy work.

Please note that all applicants must also meet the entry requirements for the Politics & International Relations, PhD. 

Award details

The scholarship is available as a full-time +3 (3 year) PhD programme only. The programme will commence in January 2026. The funding includes:

• An annual stipend at the UKRI rate
• Fees at the standard home or international fee rate
• Students can also draw on a Research Training Support Grant, usually up to a maximum of £940 per year

Application process

Applicants must apply via the Scholarships Application Portal (please see Scholarships Application Portal - Applicant Guide for more information).The funding opportunity is under 'College of Social Sciences Postgraduate Research Funding > COSS-25-016') uploading the following documentation:

• CoSS PhD Scholarship Power, Purse and Policy Application form (in Word format)
• Academic transcripts (All relevant Undergraduate and Master’s level degree transcripts (and translations, if not originally in English) – provisional transcripts are sufficient if you are yet to complete your degree).
  
• Academic Prizes
• Contact details for two referees (where possible your referees should include an academic familiar with your work (within the last 5 years). Both referees can be academics but you may include a work referee, especially if you have been out of academia for more than 5 years). Please note, a CoSS PGR Funding Reference template will be sent to your referees for completion)*. Note that no member of this project's supervisory team can act as your referee. Please see CoSS PGR Funding Reference request guide for further guidance
• Curriculum Vitae (CV) (academic where applicable)

*Please note that when you enter your referees contact details on the Scholarships Application Portal and send the reference request, your referees are expected to provide their references by the closing date of the Scholarship (below). It is strongly recommended you complete this as soon as possible, as late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Application Closing Date: 07 November 2025

References due no later than 14 November 2025

Selection process

Applications will be assessed by the project team. Shortlisted applicants may be requested to attend an Interview.

All scholarship awards are subject to candidates successfully securing admission to a PhD programme in the School of Social and Political Sciences. Successful applicants will be invited to apply for admission to the relevant PhD programme after they are selected for funding.

Key contact

Professor Bernhard Reinsberg