Danish development research in the new geo-political context

Over the past 60 years development research has been characterized by clear dichotomies. Developed and un(der)developed, capitalist and pre-capitalist, democratic and authoritarian, north and south are just a few of the many analytical frameworks that have been used.

Today’s global world is increasingly recognized as being too complex to fit into such neat categories. Nor does development fall into a neat trajectory as many would have it. Political, economic and social changes tend to undermine rather than support clear theoretical models, and the diversity of experiences involving ‘development’ challenges simplistic explanations.

Has development research lost its way? Has the emergence of new centres of economic growth, of new geo-political spheres, of new academic approaches and narratives, rendered development research as ‘we’ know it, redundant?

Stig Toft Madsen, Jørgen Delman and Stig Jensen will initiate the debate with perspectives from Indian, Chinese and African contexts.

Participation is free of charge, but registration is necessary to [email protected] – no later than Friday 10 November at 12 o’clock noon.