As part of the DSA’s work towards decolonizing development studies, we have created an initiative which will allow those working towards decolonisation of development studies to record their interest and activities and connect with others. The database is open to all from all countries, regardless of their affiliation with the DSA. 

The spate of recent works calling for decolonising development studies has led to a growing demand for a systematic and rigorous understanding of what decolonisation means and how it might be applied in our research and teaching. This database invites members with expertise on decolonisation to share their insights and help colleagues who would like to understand what decolonisations would mean for their own work. As a collective pool of knowledge and resources, the database on decolonisation will enormously enrich the DSA’s commitment to emancipation, equality and social justice.

The database idea was conceived by the Decolonising Development Working group of the DSA Council comprising Ingrid Kvangraven from Kings College London, Jonathan Fisher from University of Birmingham, Eyob Gebremariam from University of Bristol and Indrajit Roy from University of York. 

“Although the debates about decolonisation in development studies are old, there is a sense of forgetfulness in the recent revival of decolonisation debates in the discipline,” explains Ingrid . “To recover those debates, enhance exchanges, and deepen knowledge in the field about what decolonisation entails, we have created a database of scholars contributing to anti-colonial and non-Eurocentric understandings of development.” 

“We hope this will help push the field forward by bringing substantive and informed debates and alternative, non-Eurocentric work to the fore. We consider creating the database a modest step towards making such work more visible, but there is much more to be done to reverse the structures of the discipline that continue to reproduce Eurocentrism. For DSA, the database will be a springboard for more radical next steps.”    

It is hope that the database will help to facilitate the co-learning and networking among members of the DSA that are working on the various aspects of Decolonising Development  and help those working in the field of decolonizing development find case studies, examples and speakers for their seminars, workshops, or guest lecturing.

Find out more and sign up at: https://www.devstud.org.uk/the-decolonising-development-directory/