This opinion piece reflecting on the 2026 Development Studies Association Ireland (DSAI) Annual Conference was prepared by the Geoformations team: Maeve McGandy, Researcher; Cynthia Mwende, Research Assistant; Ruby Paterson, PhD Scholar; and Susan Murphy, Principal Investigator. At a moment when…
Introducing the pilot visit, situating the study: In September of 2025 I embarked on a pilot field visit as part of my doctoral research journey. Travelling from Dublin to Dar es Salaam, Tanzania (which is the site of my research), my goal was to engage with civil society organisations working in the development space.  Broadly…
This blog forms Part 2 of a two-part series reflecting on field research undertaken in Costa Rica’s Pacific Region. At Geoformations, our work in Costa Rica’s Pacific Region offered a case study for understanding how shifting funding conditions, across scales, influence the governance space in which NGOs engaged in climate-adaptation operate. The first instalment in this blog series traced adaptation aid in the…
This blog forms Part 1 of a two-part series reflecting on field research undertaken in Costa Rica’s Pacific Region. When tropical storm Sara hit the Pacific region of Costa Rica, infrastructure was damaged, roads were blocked, houses and businesses were…
Discussing her research background and the project’s goals with the Office of the Dean of Research, Murphy highlighted the importance of adaptive, inclusive, and just development cooperation governance as complex needs continue to accelerate, and trust and legitimacy in traditional…