Our work to improve diversity and inclusion in development studies
Our vision is for development studies to be a vibrant, diverse discipline offering critical thinking from a wide range of views. To realise this, the DSA has undertaken a multi-stage programme of work – partly supported by the Academy of Social Sciences – to understand and address the racial profile and lived experiences of academics within UK development studies.
The 2026 report on the lived experiences of racially-minoritised early career researchers (ECRs)
Building on our earlier quantitative audits, in 2025 we concluded facilitating a series of regional workshops for racially-minoritised ECRs. This work, partially funded by the AcSS Equality, Diversity and Inclusion Grants Scheme, engaged over 60 racially-minoritised ECRS from more than 35 institutions.
The workshops created a space for honest discussion and reveals where our collective intentions around EDI are not yet matched by lived experience. We strongly encourage Heads of Centres and senior colleagues to engage with these findings:
- Read the summary
- Download the full report
- Participant Voices: Jekoniya Chitereka – Chidinma Mbaegbu – Sarah Njeri.
What we have learned: the evidence base
Our work began in early 2023, commissioning a research associate to audit the racial profile of staff via a pilot study testing Higher Education Statistics Agency data, FOI requests, and institutional surveys. Results from this phase can be found in our Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Audit, Stage 1 report.
Although response rates were lower than expected, the data shows that white academics predominate in the sector rising at the Professorial level. This mirrors the AcSS EDI in the Social Sciences Summary Data Report. Qualitative evidence suggests that a competitive and unsupportive environment – marked by micro-aggressions, being ignored in meetings, and being over-burdened with work – often causes academics of colour to leave the sector. Consequently, support for students of colour at the PhD stage must continue through the first academic appointment and the securing of a permanent contract.
Our programme of work
To address these barriers, we have structured our work into two specific components:
- ECR workshops & networks: This component builds on Generation Delta, which supports PhD students of colour through themes of access, retention, and careers. Our project extends this to ECRs, as literature suggests this is the point where many academics of colour drop out due to lack of progression or precarious contracts.
- Qualitative institutional research: We are using documentary reviews and key informant interviews with Heads of Centre and EDI specialists to understand “best practice” for example looking at institutions like SOAS, which appointed half of the Black academics in our sample, and Bath, where positive diversity outcomes are achieved despite different local demographics.
Timeline of work
Blogs from workshop participants: Jekoniya Chitereka – Chidinma Mbaegbu
- EDI report: December 2025
- Sarah Njeri shares her journey: June 2025
- Call for participants: ECR workshop on DEI: April 2025
- Madhuri Kamtam joins DSA to drive forward DEI work: Dec 2024:
- DSA awarded funding from ACSS for DEI work with ECRs: July 2024:
- DSA moves from community of practice to community of action: July 2024
- Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion Audit, Stage 1 report: November 2023
- Update on the DSA Race Audit: October 2023