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”
By Amitabha Sarkar / part of our “Share your Decolonising Story” project
I grew up in a family shaped by the complexities of colonial misadventure in Calcutta, a refugee past marked by economic hardship and structural violence. For my mother, merit was the only way out. She believed that humility, hard work, and academic excellence could open doors that history had closed. As a child and young adult in South Asia, I absorbed this moral ideal without question.
Continue reading “Merit, Meritocracy, and Decolonising Knowledge for Development”
By Charlotte Weatherill
The role of the academy in empire and colonial violence is the main theme of Babel: An Arcane History, a book by R. F. Kuang. Having wrestled with his own complicity in a system that also provides him with comforts his child-self couldn’t have imagined, the book’s protagonist Robin ends the novel by sacrificing himself to blow up Oxford University’s ivory tower of Babel.
Continue reading ““Vulnerable Research” in a Time of Climate Change and Coloniality”
By Carla Maria Friederike Diem / part of our “Share your Decolonising Story” project
“I hope for a world where International Development Studies cease to exist.” was the first line of my motivation letter to the University of Amsterdam (UvA). A provocation, yes – but also a belief. A way to signal that I saw the contradictions at the heart of the discipline – that a field born out of colonial legacies, and sustained by the hierarchies it claims to dismantle, cannot be reformed without eventually ceasing to exist. I thought this was an idealistic position. What I did not realise was just how intimately I would come to feel the weight of those contradictions – in my emotions, in my learning, and in my hope.
Continue reading “Feeling the Colonial: Affective Decolonisation in Development Studies Classrooms”
By Roseanna Avento, Kelly Brito and Susanne von Itter
In the realm of research and development, fostering inclusive global academic partnerships is crucial for addressing equity, diversity, and inclusion (EDI) considerations. These partnerships not only enhance the quality and relevance of research but also ensure that diverse perspectives and expertise are integrated into collaborations. Inclusive partnerships help bridge gaps between different regions, disciplines, and communities, promoting a decolonial and more equitable approach to engagement between the Global South and Global North.
Continue reading “Building Inclusive Partnerships: Key Strategies for Successful Funding Applications”
