- Convenors:
-
Michael Tribe
(University of Glasgow)
Mozammel Huq (University of Strathclyde)
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- Format:
- Paper panel
- Stream:
- Decolonising knowledge, power & practice
Short Abstract
Papers for this panel will reflect the fact that the directly political element of colonialism has been superseded by ‘independence’ but that ‘neocolonialism’ persists. It is expected that papers will examine this persistence and analyse the means of achieving greater degrees of decolonisation.
Description
This panel is intended to build on achievements of the 2023 DSA Scotland mini conference, in which scholars and practitioners critically examined the legacies of colonialism in contemporary development discourse. While many former colonies have achieved formal independence, the structures and ideologies of colonial domination persist in subtler forms, which is commonly referred to as neocolonialism. The panel will seek to explore how these dynamics continue to shape global development policy, practice, and knowledge production.
In particular, the panel is expected to interrogate how power is distributed across global institutions, how agency is exercised or constrained by actors in the Global South, and to examine possibilities for reimagining development in ways that are more just, inclusive, and plural. Contributors are expected to examine the epistemic hierarchies that privilege Global North perspectives, the role of language and culture in shaping development narratives, and the potential for grassroots and indigenous alternatives to challenge dominant global paradigms.
By engaging with these questions, the panel will aim to deepen understanding of the persistence of neocolonial structures while also highlighting pathways toward meaningful decolonisation. The expectation is that it will emphasise the voices and experiences of those working to achieve autonomy, to assert local knowledge systems, and to build futures that reflect local priorities and values. The aim is for the panel to contribute to the broader conference theme by offering critical insights into how development can be reimagined through the lenses of power, agency, and transformative possibility in an uncertain world.