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- Convenors:
-
Emma Tomalin
(University of Leeds)
Jennifer Philippa Eggert (National Centre for Social Research (NatCen))
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- Formats:
- Roundtables
- Stream:
- Decolonial and anti-racist perspectives
- Sessions:
- Tuesday 29 June, -
Time zone: Europe/London
Short Abstract:
This roundtable brings together researchers and practitioners to discuss the nexus of decolonisation, development and faith. It explores the contribution, limitations and complicity of faith actors and researchers in the development/aid sector from a decolonised and anti-racist perspective.
Long Abstract:
This research/practice roundtable focuses on the nexus of decolonisation, development and faith. Debates on anti-racist and decolonised approaches amongst development/humanitarian researchers and practitioners acknowledge that local communities are central agents in their own liberation, yet they continue to be marginalised in decision-making and resource allocation by large parts of the international aid/development sector. The majority of people worldwide identify with a faith. The role of faith is often particularly strong in the 'Global South'. Local capacities, social capital, leadership, expertise, networks and service provision are often faith-based. Ignoring the contribution of faith in development/aid devalues pivotal dimensions of people's lived experiences and diminishes their sources of power, legitimacy, accountability and resilience. An inability to speak authentically as faith actors contributes to the erasure of non-white cultures and non-Western faiths. Yet faith actors are not immune from anti-racist and decolonial critique, and often have complex and contested histories that involve colonialism, missionaries, and conversions. Faith communities have a mixed record when it comes to challenging racism and other forms of systemic discrimination. Faith-based organisations perpetuate the same white supremacist culture and racist and (neo)colonial development and faith legacies as the broader aid/development sector, by failing to acknowledge colonial legacies, neo-colonial practices, the dominance of Western theological constructs, complicity in broader racist structures, and hierarchical power dynamics. Research on religion and development has not sufficiently contended with these concepts, if at all. This panel aims to give a higher profile to this much needed debate.
Accepted papers:
Session 1 Tuesday 29 June, 2021, -Paper short abstract:
This presentation represents a self-critical look at the role of the CIHA Blog in challenging paternalism and neocolonialism in the nexus between religion and development.
Paper long abstract:
The CIHA Blog's mission is "to transform the phenomenon of aid to Africa into egalitarian and respectful relationships that challenge unequal power relations, paternalism and victimization. Our research and commentaries highlight critical and religious voices to explore connections among issues of faith, governance, gender, and race in colonial and post-colonial contexts. Through analysis and dialogue, we strive for equality, justice and, ultimately, respect for others’ desires, beliefs and practices." Our presentation, by several CIHA Co-Editors, assesses the role of the blog both in bringing forth religious voices and voices critical of religion in debates about aid and humanitarianism, and in validating the role of African religious traditions and practices, which are often overlooked in the mix. Our presenters, from the US, South Africa, and Senegal, represent different perspectives and religious traditions, speaking from the "contextual theology" of practice in settings that are dominantly Christian liberationist, Muslim and "traditionalist," and "western."
In particular, we seek to highlight the forms of dynamic syncretism that animate African aid practices, from the African Instituted Churches (AICs) to the fetishes of Casamance and the "traditional" healing practices in Fatick, Senegal, South Africa, and across the continent. We look at active and passive ways of denigrating or ignoring these practices by both secular and mainline religious (Christian and Muslim) aid groups. Additional presenters (the form would not accommodate their emails): Simangaliso Kumalo (KumaloR@ukzn.ac.za); Mame Penda Ba (mame-penda.ba@ugb.edu.sn).
Paper short abstract:
This presentation examines the concepts, tools, and processes that define, establish, and sustain colonization and suggests ways of decolonization as a change process. It also examines the different dimensions through which decolonization should take place and the roles various actors could play.
Paper long abstract:
IIPC is a nonprofit, faith-based organization devoted to safeguarding the sanctity and dignity of human life and facilitating the actualization of mankind’s fullest potential through religious diplomacy. IIPC’s activities center around promoting collaborative interfaith work to reduce mistrust and differences between entrenched traditional values, mostly defined by different spiritual beliefs and practices, and modern secular leanings.
We collaborate with governmental, inter-governmental and non-governmental organizations to mobilize the moral support and active participation of religious and traditional local community leaders in solving global problems of mistrust, misconceptions, misinformation, and a general lack of awareness. We work to overcome the material, intellectual, spiritual, and social challenges to progress in the areas of education, health, peacebuilding, and socio-economic development.
This presentation will explore the concepts, tools and processes that define, establish, and sustain both colonization and decolonization, since it is impossible to discuss decolonization outside the context of colonization, as a process by which nations establish and maintain dominant relationships over other nations or foreign territory. The presentation will further examine the concepts of development and faith, their connection to decolonization, and what role both could possibly play in the process of decolonization and how that can be done. Having understood decolonization as an economic, intellectual, spiritual, and a social change process, it will be natural to expect resistance and therefore I would also try to address concepts relating to the process of social change, including its meaning, barriers to it, or the resistant factors, and suggest strategies to overcome these barriers.
Paper short abstract:
Building on my experiences working for the Church Mission Society, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Islamic Relief Worldwide and the International Rescue Committee, this presentation will look at the intersection of religion and decolonisation in development partnerships.
Paper long abstract:
Much of the development and humanitarian work in the world today continues to be delivered through faith-based partnerships. International faith-based partnerships are often underpinned by long standing familial and institutional relationships; and are regularly nurtured through shared religious traditions and rituals. However, this social, economic, political and spiritual capital, is also inextricably linked to racist colonial legacies, and the pervasiveness of white supremacy culture amongst religious and political elites.
Building on my experiences working for the Church Mission Society, the Archbishop of Canterbury, Islamic Relief Worldwide and the International Rescue Committee, this presentation will look at the intersection of religion and decolonisation in development partnerships. Critical questions include:
1. How can faith-based development partnerships better share capacity and catalyse transformational change by confronting their complex colonial past?
2. What is the impact of ignoring asymmetries of power within religious leadership (that mirror colonial structures) when building partnerships to pursue shared agendas for justice?
3. How can a more diverse, inclusive and equitable approach to multi-faith engagement in the Europe and North America catalyse decolonised approaches to development?
Paper short abstract:
At this roundtable, I look forward to highlighting the gender dimension of decolonisation, development, and faith, and providing examples of development practitioners who improve development's understanding of the dynamic interactions of religion and gender and rectify the sector’s power imbalances.
Paper long abstract:
Decolonising development must take a ‘gender lens’ because colonialism itself was deeply gendered. Colonialism perpetuated dangerous gendered stereotypes of other religions, many of which linger until today. For example, the portrayal of Muslim women as oppressed served as justifications for the War on Terror and the U.S.’s invasion of Afghanistan. International development policies, such as bilateral aid, are situated within these political spheres and are equally susceptible to prevalent Western-centric notions of gender and religion. In response to this, development literature has started to advocate for a decolonial feminist approach that recognises the intellectual autonomy and decision-making capacity of women in the Global South. Development practice, on the other hand, has been slow to catch up.
Over the past 12 years, I have been working as a gender consultant with multilateral and bilateral development agencies as well as non-government and grassroots organisations. I have observed how both personal and institutional biases surrounding gender and religion deepen hierarchical power dynamics. While complex religion-gender dynamics in both donor and recipient countries are still largely ignored or misconstrued, today’s development aid continues to impose ideological values through its gender programming. This puts the religion-gender nexus at the centre of the struggle to decolonise development and the challenge to overcome cultural imperialism. Since 2013, I have focused my work on engaging practitioners in a collective process of unlearning gender stereotypes in the context of religion and to develop a consciousness of their personal and institutional vantage points (e.g. Western, Christian, heteronormative, patriarchal etc.).