Development Studies Association

Our Aims and Objectives

We are the UK association for all those who research, study and teach global development issues

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What is Development Studies

What is development studies and decolonising development.

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Our Members

We have around 1,000 members, made up of individuals and around 40 institutions

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Governance

Find out about our constitution, how we are run and meet our Council

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People

Meet our Council members and other staff who support the running of DSA

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About

The DSA Conference is an annual event which brings together the development studies community

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DSA2025

Our conference this year is themed "Navigating crisis: dangers and opportunities in development"

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Past Conferences

Find out about our previous conferences

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Study Groups

Our Study Groups offer a chance to connect with others who share your areas of interest

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Students and ECRs

Students and early career researchers are an important part of our community

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Publications

Our book series with OUP and our relationship with other publishers

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Decolonising Development

The initiatives we are undertaking that work towards decolonising development studies

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Membership Directory

Find out who our members are, where they are based and the issues they work on

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Study groups

Connect with others who share your interests

Get involved in a study group
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A hybrid discussion at DSA2024

What is a study group?

Study Groups are an opportunity to connect with others who share your interests. Researchers, teachers, students and people working in development are all welcome to join.

Study Groups organise:

  • research seminars
  • workshops and one-day conferences
  • networking meetings
  • panels at the DSA annual conference
  • email updates

Study Groups aim to meet up at least once a year. For some this is a panel in our annual conference, for others it is an external event.  We provide each group with a small budget to support activities and participation.

 

Study Groups

Business and development

Business and development

We welcome all those with research, practitioner or policy interests that explore, illustrate or critique the impact of business and corporations on development, and/or the ways that development issues can impact back into corporations.

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Decolonising development

Decolonising development

We seek to promote critical discussions on the ways in which history influences contemporary conceptions of power and nation, and to de-centre the gaze from the North (or the West) to the South (or the rest of the world).

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Digital Technologies, Data and Development

Digital Technologies, Data and Development

This group covers all aspects of the relationship between the development process and digital systems (data, information, technology, platforms, ecosystems, etc.) in recognition of the ever-growing role of digitalisation and datafication in development.

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DSA Scotland

DSA Scotland

We aim to promote cross-regional and cross-disciplinary dialogue between PhD students, postdoctoral researchers and academics with expert knowledge working on development issues.

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Environment, natural resources and climate change

Environment, natural resources and climate change

The ENRCC group welcomes a broad range of interests related to the environment and development, including renewable natural resources, different analytical perspectives, climate change, and the relationships between poverty and the environment.

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global South

global South

We aim to stimulate interest among academics, researchers and development practitioners from the global South and increase their participation in scholarly discourse currently enjoyed by their peers in the global North.

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Land, Labour and the Politics of Development

Land, Labour and the Politics of Development

The group offers a forum for exchange of ideas and work in progress amongst development researchers interested in land tenure, land reforms and the governance of land and property rights, at all career stages.

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Multidimensional poverty and poverty dynamics

Multidimensional poverty and poverty dynamics

Poverty reduction has never been more prominent on international research and global policy agendas. The group looks at the meaning and measurement of poverty, its conceptualisation and social reproduction over time, as well as the policy process and objectives.

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NGOs in development

NGOs in development

Providing a forum for academics and researchers working on issues around civil society and development.

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Politics and Political Economy

Politics and Political Economy

To develop a space for scholars working on heterodox and classical political economy, as well as broader interdisciplinary perspectives on development politics.

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Religions and development

Religions and development

Exploring the intersections between faith, religions, spirituality and sustainable development

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Rising powers

Rising powers

We seek to provide information and support to scholars and practitioners concerned with the many aspects and issues raised by the rising powers as development actors.

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Urbanisation and development

Urbanisation and development

Over 50% of world’s population lives in urban areas, and here is ongoing rapid urbanisation in certain regions of the global South. This group aims to engage with issues arising from this, with a particular focus on how they affect low-income urban residents, and their gender dimensions, from both scholarly and practitioner perspectives.

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Women and development

Women and development

We offer an opportunity for researchers and practitioners to discuss their ongoing research, and professional and political work, relating to women and development.  

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How do I get involved in a study group?

Check the list of Study Groups above, and email the convenor(s) of those that interest you. You can join as many as you like, however we ask anyone who joins and regularly participates in a DSA Study Group to join the DSA as an individual member, as these fees help support all Study Group activities.

Study Group convenors

If you can’t find a study group you like, why not set up your own? Please contact the DSA administrator for more information: membershipadmin(AT)devstud.org.uk

More information for convenors