What does global development look like in a time of financial uncertainty, environmental breakdown and growing social fragmentation? This was the question at the heart of this year’s Scotland Study Group annual meeting, held at the University of Glasgow on 3 September. Bringing together more than 45 researchers, practitioners and policymakers from across Scotland and the UK, the meeting offered a space to take stock of the challenges facing development today – and, importantly, to ask what research, advocacy and collaboration might look like in response.

This year’s annual meeting was co-hosted with the University’s School of Social & Political Sciences and Glasgow-based NGO SCIAF and the School’s research director Patrick Bayer opened the event before networking and conversations on the question of ‘What is the most significant change currently reshaping global development?’ Key recurring themes revolved around issues of financial uncertainty, environmental breakdown and weakening social cohesion. These themes established a shared sense of context for the day and came through in the presentations and discussion that took place during the panels.

The first panel, chaired by Mark Adams (SCIAF) and addressing issues of governance and accountability, comprised Brendan Whitty (University of St Andrews), Nayantara Nandi Basu (University of Edinburgh), Yvan Biot (Independent Scholar), and Madushani Gunathilake (University of Glasgow). Brendan and Nayantara applied a critical lens to the use and impacts of digital technologies within development, probing what these transformations mean for how we understand and approach development as process and sector, and ultimately who benefits? Yvan, presented key ideas from his recently published book with Paul Vossen, Decolonising international solidarity, in which he reflects on his experiences as a development practitioner and offers a set of principles to guide future international working. Madushani presented findings from research on irrigation cascades in Sri Lanka, offering a rich analysis of accountability in this context and how it has been re-shaped over decades by development interventions.

The second panel, chaired by Paula Meth (University of Glasgow), turned to issues of inequality, insecurity and belonging, with presentations from Matt Barlow (University of Glasgow), Rebecca Foster (University of Cambridge), Ashutosh Singh (University of Glasgow) and Sarah Pajeau (University of Edinburgh). Matt began by presenting in-progress work that uses data from South Africa to show the challenge posed by financialisation for democratic cohesion, as weak provision of public goods inhibits tax legitimacy amongst non-poor groups. Rebecca and Ashu reported on gendered experiences of development and how these are shaped by context, with Rebecca focusing on insecure energy access in Malawi and Ashu on menstrual health and hygiene in India. Sarah shared insights from research with Rohingya refugees in Chicago, shedding light on the experiences of intensified immigration enforcement, the disruptions to daily lives and livelihoods, and how this has impacted identity-making and sense of belonging.

The third panel, chaired by Eleanor MacPherson (University of Glasgow) and themed around research, engagement and action, brought together Neha Yadav (Centre for Corporate Responsibility and Sustainability), Jenni Argent (University of Edinburgh), Ben Wilson (SCIAF) and Alphaeus Ngonga (University of Glasgow). Unlike the other panels, presenters were invited to devote particular attention to reflecting on experiences of working, through research and/or advocacy, with stakeholders outside academia. Neha led, screened an excerpt from her powerful documentary film on environmental breakdown and mental health in Himachal Pradesh, Between One Rain and the Next: Living with Loss, Fear, and Uncertain Futures in the Himalayas, and offered a series of ethical dilemmas for engagement in this context. Jenni spoke about her research with NGOs on the adoption and use of climate adaptation technologies, and the challenge of finding equitable ways to use external resources to leverage local knowledge. Ben shared a reflection on his experiences engaging as an active observer in COP processes, highlighting the platform the conferences create for shaping language, building communities and fostering international mobilisations. Alphaeus presented data from research with climate vulnerable communities in Malawi but also proposed pathways through which legal and human rights frameworks can be utilised to respond to the climate crisis.

What came across through the presentations, the discussions and the conversations during breaks was the continued value and appetite for development studies as an intellectual framework that can bring together diverse groups of researchers and practitioners to share learning and experiences. The study group’s business session at the end of the day allowed reflection on achievements of the event, and of the group more broadly over the past year, its growing vibrancy as an academic collective in the Scottish national context, as well as opportunities for further consolidation and growth in the coming year.

We thank DSA for providing funds to support the Scotland Study Group meeting and encourage those interested in participating in future group events to join our mailing list – instructions for doing so can be found here.

Event co-organisers: Ben Hunter, Graeme Young, Jenni Argent and Mark Adams