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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Decolonising development studies

We 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.

 

The Decolonising Development Directory

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.

What are the criteria? Who can join?

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.

How can I join the Directory?

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.