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Development Studies Matter! Framing an Evolving Field of Study in Changing Times

By Susanne von Itter

EADI has published a definition of Development Studies? Why yet another definition? Can such a broad field of studies be defined anyway? EADI finds: Yes!

“Development Studies (also known as ‘international development studies’ or ‘international development’) is a multi- and inter-disciplinary field of study rather than a single discipline. It seeks to understand the interplay between social, economic, political, technological, ecological, cultural and gendered aspects of societal change at the local, national, regional and global levels.”

Continue reading “Development Studies Matter! Framing an Evolving Field of Study in Changing Times”

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The SDGs: Transforming our World or Business as Usual?

By Christiane Kliemann

Compared to their predecessors, the Millennium Development Goals, the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) are a step in the right direction: With their global validity, they acknowledge that change not only needs to happen in poor countries, but in rich countries too, see for example Goals 11-15 (Sustainable Cities and Communities, Responsible Consumption and Production, Climate Action, Life below Water and Life on Land). In all these areas the early industrialised countries of the Global North have a lot of homework to do to bring their lifestyles and economies within the planetary boundaries. Continue reading “The SDGs: Transforming our World or Business as Usual?”

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Knowledge Development Goals – Which Knowledge for Which Development?

By Susanne von Itter

“Like development, knowledge is not neutral. Nor is it value-free. We therefore cannot uncritically affirm and praise knowledge production as a relevant aspect of and contribution to development without examining the nature and intention of both, the knowledge created and applied as well as the concept and meaning of development”, EADI President Henning Melber writes  in a statement contributing to the 2018 edition of the “Agenda Knowledge for Development”. Continue reading “Knowledge Development Goals – Which Knowledge for Which Development?”

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Welcome to the EADI Blog!

We cordially invite you to join this blog which we’ve set up as a discussion platform for the international development research community. The world is facing dramatic changes and challenges and so is science. What is the role of development research in these times and what are the most pressing issues it needs to address? What are different just positions on these issues, where are open questions and what requires further elaboration? What makes sense in relation to the larger picture and where do scientists need to take a stand? Continue reading “Welcome to the EADI Blog!”