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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DSA2024

Our conference this year is themed "Social justice and development in a polarising world"

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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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New report on cultural relations in development

As global development evolves, the quest for sustainable and inclusive growth continues to challenge traditional paradigms, urging exploration of innovative pathways to building trust and international cooperation. It is within this context that the British Council has sought to interrogate the underlying validity and
potential of a Cultural Relations approach to development.

The report, entitedl A Cultural Relations Approach to Development: Why and how the British Council method to development works, aims to assess the efficacy of the Cultural Relations approach to development work and begin the conversation of how to embed it within the broader development discourse. The report introduces a high level ‘Theory of Change’ for Cultural Relations in development and a framework which not only positions Cultural Relations as a foundational element in the architecture of international development strategies but elucidates the mechanisms through which this approach also delivers soft power.

The implications of these findings extend beyond the confines of the British Council. They offer a call to the entire development sector to recognise and harness the power of Cultural Relations.