Paper short abstract:

The Crisis of the Anthropocene has significantly impacted the theory and practice of development, increasing disciplinary convergence and highlighting the need for profound paradigmatic shifts - which decolonise development finance and practice - if we are to overcome global social challenges.

Paper long abstract:

The Crisis of the Anthropocene has significantly impacted the theory and practice of development sociology, geography and economics, increasing disciplinary convergence and highlighting the emergence of (and need for) profound paradigmatic shifts to overcome global social challenges.

This paper articulates the global trends impacting on contemporary development theory and practice and highlights the opportunities and challenges for development professionals to raise the voice and relevance of holistic local development priorities in the context of reductionist global responses to the Crisis of the Anthropocene.

Grounded in post-development theory, including self-determination of development pathways and the decolonisation of development, and touching on emerging paradigmatic shifts from sustainability to regeneration, anthropocentrism to ecocentrism, and domination to partnerism, the paper highlights how the 2015 development agendas (2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the Addis Ababa Action Agenda on Financing for Development) have prompted significant changes to development models and approaches based on global rather than local priorities.

Decentralised and distributed finance and governance approaches and technologies are emerging to counter this trend and bring greater voice and agency to local stakeholders and their development priorities. The paper highlights where and how development studies can focus to support meaningful, integrated, and inclusive social, financial and technological innovation and approaches that ensure local action in support of (but not dictated by) global responses to the Crisis of the Anthropocene.