She is noted for her work on issues of development and human rights. A theme in her more recent work is gender inequality and economic and social rights.[3] She is the author of the books Male Bias in the Development Process,[4] and Budgeting for Women's Rights: Monitoring Government Budgets for Compliance with CEDAW (Concepts and Tools),[5] and of many other publications and articles.
She has also worked as a special advisor for UNIFEM and is the chair of the UK's Women's Budget Group.[6] She was a winner of the Leontief Prize for Advancing the Frontiers of Economic Thought for 2016, along with Amit Bhaduri.[7]
Elson, Diane; Streeten, Paul (1971). Diversification and development: the case of coffee. New York London: Praeger (Pall Mall Press). ISBN9780275281915.
Elson, Diane, ed. (1979). Value: the representation of labour in capitalism. London: CSE Books. ISBN9780906336076.
Elson, Diane; Pearson, Ruth (1989). Women's employment and multinationals in Europe. Basingstoke England: Macmillan. ISBN9780333438770.
Elson, Diane (1995). Male bias in the development process (contemporary issues in development studies). Manchester New York New York: Manchester University Press (USA and Canada – St. Martin's Press). ISBN9780719042300.
Elson, Diane; Balakrishnan, Radhika (2011). Economic policy and human rights: holding governments to account. London New York: Zed Books, Palgrave Macmillan. ISBN9781848138759.
Elson, Diane; Jain, Devaki (2011). Harvesting feminist knowledge for public policy rebuilding progress. New Delhi Thousand Oaks, Calif. Ottawa, ON: SAGE International Development Research Centre. ISBN9788132107415.
Elson, Diane; Fukuda-Parr, Sakiko; Vizard, Polly (2012). Human rights and the capabilities approach: an interdisciplinary dialogue. Milton Park, Abingdon, Oxon New York: Routledge. ISBN9780415681032.
Elson, Diane, ed. (2015). Value: the representation of labour in capitalism. London, England: Verso Press. ISBN9781784782290.
Elson, Diane (2004), "Human rights and corporate profits: the UN global compact – part of the solution or part of the problem?", in Benería, Lourdes; Bisnath, Savitri (eds.), Global tensions: challenges and opportunities in the world economy, New York: Routledge, pp. 200–214, ISBN9780415934411
Elson, Diane; Balakrishnan, Radhika (2011), "Introduction: economic policies and human rights obligations", in Elson, Diane; Balakrishnan, Radhika (eds.), Economic policy and human rights: holding governments to account, London New York: Zed Books, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 1–27, ISBN9781848138759
Elson, Diane; Aydiner-Avsar, Nursel (2011), "Human rights and public expenditure in Mexico", in Elson, Diane; Balakrishnan, Radhika (eds.), Economic policy and human rights: holding governments to account, London New York: Zed Books, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 73–98, ISBN9781848138759
Elson, Diane; Aydiner-Avsar, Nursel (2011), "Trade policy and human rights obligations of the USA: NAFTA", in Elson, Diane; Balakrishnan, Radhika (eds.), Economic policy and human rights: holding governments to account, London New York: Zed Books, Palgrave Macmillan, pp. 119–221, ISBN9781848138759
Elson, Diane (2015), "Women's empowerment and environmental sustainability in the context of international UN agreements", in Hawley, Jenny (ed.), Why women will save the planet, London: Zed Books, pp. 11–20, ISBN9781783605804
Elson, Diane; Pearson, Ruth (1980). The latest phase of the internationalisation of capital and its implications for women in the third world (discussion paper). Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex.
Elson, Diane (1984). Women's work – women's lives. Third World First.
Elson, Diane (2006). Budgeting for women's rights: monitoring government budgets for compliance with CEDAW (a summary guide for policy makers, gender equality and human rights advocates). UN Women Headquarters: UNIFEM (UN Women). Pdf version
^Chant, Sylvia (2006), "Diane Elson", in Simon, David (ed.), Fifty key thinkers on development, London New York: Routledge, pp. 84–89, ISBN9780415337908
^Elson, Diane (1995). Male bias in the development process (contemporary issues in development studies). Manchester New York New York: Manchester University Press (USA and Canada – St. Martin's Press). ISBN9780719042300.