Decoloniality – Page 4 – Debating Development Research

03/12/202402/12/2025

Trading with the ‘Jungle’: The European Union’s Generalised Scheme of Preferences

By Jan Orbie, Antonio Salvador Alcazar III and Tinus Sioen

The notions of ‘developing countries’ and ‘development cooperation’ have been waning in discourses by scholars, policymakers and civil society actors. At least rhetorically, the colonial and patronising nature of these notions has been recognised at the European Union (EU) level. For instance, the Development Commissioner has been rechristened as the ‘Commissioner of International Partnerships’ since 2019. In recent years, the EU has pursued plenty of ‘partnerships’ in areas such as climate, energy, trade and deforestation.

21/11/202402/12/2025

The Journey towards an Equitable, Diverse and Inclusive Evaluation System

By Yulye Jessica Romo Ramos / part of our “Share your Decolonising Story” project

Over the last couple of years, the evaluation sector has come under pressure to acknowledge the Euro-Western hegemony over knowledge, evaluation and learning practice[i]. Current structures, behaviours, mindsets and mental models have led to institutional and systemic racism and discrimination of non-white people and other minoritised groups[ii]. This perpetuates a system that places weak or no value in non-Euro-Western knowledge, values and voices and results in non-representative practitioners and evidence, which threatens the legitimacy of evaluation as such.

04/11/202409/12/2024

Reflecting on our Lens: Decolonising Imagery within International Development

By James Andrews / part of our “Share your Decolonising Story” project

When selecting a photo to bring colour to the blog you’ve spent hours copy-editing, have you considered whether it disrupts the colonial gaze, or might it—perhaps inadvertently—reinforce these entrenched power structures? When arranging an interview for your lively development podcast, are you giving a platform to a Western academic who has conducted research ‘in the field,’ or would it be more impactful to interview someone who has spent their entire life living and working in that ‘field’? How do you create multimedia content that not only attracts donor funding but also remains sensitive to the unique circumstances of the individuals whose stories you aim to tell, while being aware of your own cultural, class and gender biases?

15/10/2024

Colonialism’s Blind Spot in Climate Change Solutions: Why Feminist Approaches Are Falling Short

By Bernadette P. Resurrección

Efforts to integrate gender equality into climate change solutions have gained momentum in recent years. However, despite this progress, many of these initiatives are missing a crucial element—colonialism. This glaring oversight leaves today’s climate policies struggling to deliver truly feminist, just, and transformative results.

30/09/2024

Decolonising International Research Collaborations Requires us to go Beyond the “Ts and Cs Apply” Approach

By Eyob Balcha Gebremariam

In February 2024, I found myself at a pivotal moment in the academic landscape, attending a regional network launching event of “Africanist researchers” at one of the UK universities. The room was a microcosm of diverse academic, cultural, gender, and racial backgrounds, all converging with a common purpose to establish a network of researchers. The organisers set ambitious objectives, including partnering to co-develop research proposals, recruiting more African students to their respective regional universities, and providing capacity-building support for Africa-based partners. This was the backdrop against which I observed the dynamics of coloniality, power and privilege that underpin such collaborations.