Our Aims and Objectives
We are the UK association for all those who research, study and teach global development issues
Find Out MoreWe work to promote procedures, practices and ways of thinking and acting that can help institutions and curricula decolonise.
The roots of development studies lie in colonialism. Development studies still bears the marks of this history. As such, the broader moves to decolonise the curriculum have a particular resonance for us.
But it is not only our curriculum that needs to be decolonised, but our institutions, procedures, practices, and default ways of thinking and acting. The commitment to equitable research partnerships is one way we aim to move this agenda forward.
The DSA is actively committed to decolonising development studies. If you would like to get involved, contact DSA Council members: Indrajit Roy and Eyob Balcha Gebremariam.
What is the Decolonising Development Directory? Why use it?
The DDD allows for the creation of a global network of scholars who take decolonised approaches to development studies. This might allow for a larger network of scholars to draw from when putting together seminars, for journalists to draw on when looking for certain expertise, for lecturers to consider when looking for a guest lecturer in the classroom, and more. Ultimately, the Directory may also facilitate the establishment of longer-term pedagogical and research dialogue and exchange, as well as mentoring relationships (in all directions).
The Directory is open access and members are free to contact one another independently regarding potential collaborations. It is the responsibility of these individuals, and their host institutions, to manage these collaborations and related activities.
Where collaborations between Directory members involve contributions to teaching or travel, it is anticipated that appropriate remuneration be provided/expenses be covered in line with the host institution’s policies – particularly in the case of teaching contributions made by Global South scholars at institutions in the Global North.
The directory is open to researchers and educators committed to the decolonisation of Development Studies. By decolonisation, we refer to thought and action which seeks to expose and/or redress forms of disadvantage associated with racism and colonialism, within the academy and beyond. (Adapted from the Decolonising SOAS Learning and Teaching Toolkit for Programme and Module Convenors, 2018: p.3.) Examples of such work might include challenging Eurocentrism in development theory, employing anti-colonial, anti-imperialist or emancipatory approaches to studying development, studying racial, colonial, caste, or gendered hierarchies in development, or theorising from the South.
If you are a scholar who would like to be included in the DD Directory please use the online form below. You can also update your existing profile via that form. We welcome submissions from anyone working with decolonised approaches to development.