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Contribution short abstract

The year 2020 saw a renewed academic interest in debates about decolonisation, development and faith, following global Black Lives Matter protests and the Covid pandemic. What remains of this revived engagement with the question of decolonisation in religions and development research/practice?

Contribution long abstract

The year 2020, following the outbreak of the Covid pandemic and a surge of the Black Lives Matter movement after the murder of George Floyd in the US, saw a renewed academic interest in debates about decolonisation, development and faith. Five years later, what remains of this revived engagement with questions of decolonisation within the context of religions and development research and practice? Is it accurate to speak of a decolonial turn in the field of religions and development? Has there been any tangible change? This article argues that while debates about decolonisation have had an impact on the field, there is little evidence of deeper-going change. Sustained efforts to keep the topic on the religions and development agenda is required, to ensure that engagement with the topic continues, both in academic circles as well as in the practice of development professionals, community members and policymakers.