Overseas Development Institute

The London-based Overseas Development Institute is among the world's leading international development think tanks. It's mission, to "inspire and inform policy and practice which lead to the reduction of poverty, the alleviation of suffering, and the achievement of sustainable livelihoods in developing countries," is accomplished through a three-part approach: conducting research, making practical policy recommendations, and spreading news and ideas. The methods of the third part have evolved over the years, from monthly publications in newspapers and industry journals to what is now a daily link to the general public through a weblog. While there is much to discuss regarding the ODI homepage, I'd like to focus on the ODI blog.

The blog is unique in that it does not require a subscription to an expensive industry journal (the Journal of International Development, for example); everyone with internet access can read that which the men and women at ODI have to say. As such, the writers have been forced to tailor their pieces to a new audience--an audience that may not be formally educated in relevant areas and an audience that may have an interest in the topics different from the professional interest that most journal-subscribers and industry workers possess. The blog also allows for other changes, like the inclusion of a blogroll (which introduces readers to blogs from groups like the Center for Global Development, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, and the Alertnet from Reuters), access to RSS feeds and podcasts, and the ability to book a spot at upcoming events. The blog does, however, feature some dead links--an unfortunate bit that would never happen in ODI's journal articles of old.