Posted on

Decolonising Development Studies: Why It Matters

By Devika Dutt

Calls to decolonise Development Studies have gained increasing visibility across universities, research institutes, and policy spaces. Yet despite its growing popularity, decolonisation is often treated as a loosely defined aspiration rather than a substantive intellectual and political project. In many cases, it is reduced to efforts to diversify reading lists or improve representation within existing frameworks. While such initiatives are important in their own right, they do not address the deeper structural and epistemic foundations of the field.

Continue reading “Decolonising Development Studies: Why It Matters”
Posted on

COP30 and Just Transition in the South: Who Will Pay the Social Price?

By Jiayi Wang and Mengjie Xu

When COP30 ended in the Amazonian city of Belém, much of the global media focus stayed locked on a familiar question: would the final agreement clearly call for the “phasing out of fossil fuels”? The newly created Belém Action Mechanism (BAM) — the first formal attempt to place workers, communities and unions inside climate governance — looked like a breakthrough. Yet behind the scenes, many negotiators shared the same concern: without new funding, clear responsibility and binding rules, BAM may become more symbol than protection.

Continue reading “COP30 and Just Transition in the South: Who Will Pay the Social Price?”
Posted on

Why We Need Empathy to Tackle Poverty

By Keetie Roelen

“You need a new vacuum cleaner? Can you prove that your current one is really broken?”

This was the response Hanny received from the welfare office in the Dutch city of Tilburg when she asked them for support with replacing her broken appliance. More precisely, it was the response following her second request, after her first appeal was met with the suggestion that she could use a broom to sweep her floors.

Continue reading “Why We Need Empathy to Tackle Poverty”
Posted on

Decolonial Journey: #RhodesMustFall and ‘Decolonising Development Studies’ in Ghana and Nigeria

By Luqman Muraina / part of our “Share your Decolonising Story” project

I completed my B.Sc. Sociology in Nigeria with little or no knowledge about alternative epistemologies, coloniality, and politics of knowledge. Like many young graduates fed by modernity’s shine, I was just determined to be successful and contribute positively to societal development and transformation.

Continue reading “Decolonial Journey: #RhodesMustFall and ‘Decolonising Development Studies’ in Ghana and Nigeria”
Posted on

What Would it Take to Build a Post-Extractivist Agriculture?

By Will LaFleur

What is the relationship between extractivism, agriculture, and a sustainable future? As I started the fieldwork for my doctoral studies, this question sat at the heart of my inquiry. Developing a critical response started with renewing an analytical and theoretical conception of extractivism before I even began the fieldwork. That meant, first of all, framing extractivism historically.

Continue reading “What Would it Take to Build a Post-Extractivist Agriculture?”