The end of the line for Development Studies?

David Marsden

DSA Conference

5 November 2010

Drawing old threads together to weave a new text

Drawing lines under, around and through dominant perspectives.

Tracing lines back Distinctions between the natural & the

moral sciences. Anthropology and the study of the

‘other’ Pathways thro’ an evolving landscape

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Room for ‘engaged learning’?

In an era of targets and audits With monopolies over funding

Place of craftsmanship? Building trust an empathy Moving beyond gifts as poisonous Negotiating values in a complex world “I participate therefore I am”

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Beyond narrow disciplinary boundaries

The promise of Development Studies Building an inclusive, multi-cultural

and more equitable world Countering the hegemony of top-down

instrumental rationalists A burgeoning Environmental agenda A focus on ‘the poor’ & disadvantaged

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Processes –v- Products Reading between the lines Measurement of outputs –v- reflexive

evaluation of outcomes Developing new perspectives Anti-imperialist, anti-capitalist

Questioning established explanations

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Incorporating ITK Challenging elitist interventions ‘bottom up’, self reliance Participatory Sustainable Gender aware NGOs - challenging bureaucracies

The late ‘70s, early ‘80s

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Social Development ?

Separate from social welfare/protection ?

Different from economic ? Qualitative not quantitative ? ‘Field’ rather than ‘library’ ? Projects with people not for them ? ‘Applied’ rather than ‘pure’ ? ‘Generalists’ not ‘specialists’ ?

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Early (and continuing) concerns

Quality/ Quantity Outputs/ Outcomes Measurement/ Evaluation Subjective / Objective Risk Assessment

False dichotomies ?8

Some illustrations

Chilean refugees Reaching out to local education

institutions Development of ‘World Development’ Building the Sustainable Development

Agenda Working with NGOs The continual negotiation of value

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Countering the audit culture

Struggling for autonomy, universalism and progress

Negotiating ‘value for money’ Engaging in different ways Developing new perspectives Organisational change management Complex adaptive systems thinking

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Preparing for uncertainty

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The Unknown

“As we know, there are known knowns. There are things we know we know.

We also know there are known unknowns.

That is to say, we know there are some things we do not know.

But there are also unknown unknowns,

The ones we don't know we don't know. “

Feb. 12, 2002, Rumsfeld, Dept. of Defense news briefing

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