A multidisciplinary approach
The world is complex. But we believe understanding is possible.
Our signature strengths
We take an integrated and holistic approach to development. With a mission to advance a more equitable, sustainable, and food-secure world for all, we engage at the intersections of development to create a flourishing world now and for future generations.
Wellbeing and inclusion
“A World that Leaves No One Behind”
Studying the causes, manifestations and consequences of poverty and inequality in the global political economy, the histories and legacies of development projects, and alternative models to promote wellbeing
Environmental sustainability
“A Greener World and Greener Economies”
Addressing strategies to mitigate or reverse the effects of climate change, helping people and communities adapt to new environmental realities, and researching the social and political dimensions of human-environment interactions
Food and nutritional security
“Sustainable and Sustaining Food Systems”
Identifying pathways to sustainable food systems while investigating the social and political dynamics of these systems across the cycle from cultivation to distribution, consumption, and recycling
How will you change the world?
Education with impact
In Global Development, we guide our students to become next-generation changemakers. Our engaged learning model encourages students to interpret problems, clarify solutions, develop leadership and foster positive social change now and into the future.
Latest news
Discover how Global Development is committed to making a sustainable impact
News
In flood-prone New York, non-white homeowners are more likely to take active measures – like protecting a furnace or installing a sump pump – to prepare for deluge, says Cornell research.
Field Note
Lead NY is for committed leaders in the food, agriculture and natural resource sectors who wish to step up and make a difference in their community. In this article, Renee Ciardi, (NYFB - LeadNY Class 18), reflects on a LeadNY alumni trip, where...
News
The program seeks to nurture the careers of Cornell’s most promising faculty members in the social sciences by providing time and space for high-impact social scientific scholarship.