Academic Debate and Self-Criticism: Embracing Diversity at the Core of Development Studies

Iliana Olivié (), Antonio Sianes () and María Santillán O’Shea ()
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Iliana Olivié: Complutense University of Madrid
Antonio Sianes: Research Institute on Policies for Social Transformation – Universidad Loyola Andalucia
María Santillán O’Shea: Elcano Royal Institute

The European Journal of Development Research, 2025, vol. 37, issue 2, No 6, 335-343

Abstract: Abstract Intrinsic dissent in Development Studies (DS) is here seen as an asset. Development concepts being rooted in diverse worldviews, a single universal definition of development is almost impossible. Dissent and debate within the DS community are not only unavoidable but also even desirable, since they foster knowledge accumulation and cross-pollination amongst different DS perspectives. We therefore advocate for descriptive and analytical approaches, the recognition of diverse intellectual positions, and self-criticism within DS scholarship. The first section traces the historical evolution of DS, highlighting that different approaches to development have always co-existed and that mainstream has evolved. The second and third section explain the rationale for and the advantages of dissent, whilst the last section concludes and proposes some practical steps.

Keywords: Development studies (DS); Development theories; Epistemic communities; Schools of thought; O1; O2 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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DOI: 10.1057/s41287-024-00672-7

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