Organisations and Interest Groups

Although an aid agency that works for and is supported by the churches in the UK and Ireland, Christian Aid works wherever the need is greatest, irrespective of religion. Its policy is to support and work with local organisations, which are best placed to understand local needs, as well as giving help on the ground through 17 overseas offices. Christian Aid believes in strengthening people to find their own solutions to the problems they face and campaigns to change the rules that keep people poor. Christian Aid's website includes information about the organisation and its aims, reports on emergency, refugee and crisis situations around the world, as well as, news, campaigns and other information.

"Feasta is a charity founded in October 1998 by ordinary people who are not satisfied with the prevailing view that economic growth is an end in itself and must be fostered at all costs regardless of the social and environmental consequences." Articles about sustainability are available in different sections of the site: money, measuring progress, education, land and housing, democracy, energy and climate, health, food, business, community, and communication.

An international environmental organisation, with affiliates in 63 countries worldwide, that is dedicated to preserving the health and diversity of the planet for future generations. The site includes extensive information about the organisation, a news section and details of how to join. Links can also be found to FOE publications (some online) and "earth friendly products." The site also covers in great depth the main areas of FOE's work including the Economics for the Earth Program, it's International Program and a Community, Health and Environment Program.

The New Economics Foundation works with community, non- governmental and governmental organizations, as well as a range of individuals from research institutes in the UK and elsewhere. It has programmes of research areas such as economics, the environment and society. Specific projects can include the formulation of alternative economic indicators at local, national and international levels, research on community enterprise, exploring the links between trade and the environment, and extended product durability.

Based in Washington, DC, the Peter G. Peterson Institute for International Economics is "a private, nonprofit, nonpartisan research institution devoted to the study of international economic policy". The Institute aims to provide practical ideas and suggestions to inform public debate, addressing both audiences in the United States and around the world. The site provides occasional news releases; the text of various speeches, testimony given before US Government committees, and essays, grouped by topic; and a set of links to related websites. The Institute partly funds itself through its publications which are detailed on the site but gives access online to the full-text of working papers.

The Social Market Foundation was established in 1989. Its main activity is to commission and publish original papers by independent academics and other experts on key topics in the economic and social fields, with a view to stimulating public discussion on the performance of markets and the social framework within which they operate. The Foundation is independent of any political party or group and is financed by the sales of publications and by voluntary donations from individuals, organisations and companies. The website provides: details about the Foundation and its activities; links to further information on current research areas; relevant press releases; forthcoming events; the Foundation's published papers and newsletters; a business forum; and details of how to sign up to their regular e-newsletter.

This is the official site for the World Economics Association, a global professional association for economists which "seeks to increase the relevance, breadth and depth of economic thought." The Association emphasises pluralism of approaches to economics, of applications, and of economies studied. The site also hosts the openly-accessible Real-World Economics Review and two other journals. The RWER Blog has commentary on topical issues from authors published in the RWER.