Reimagining Development

Do recent crises in food, finance, fuel and climate - and the way that people are responding to them - present us with an opportunity to rethink or 'reimagine' what international development means and how it needs to change?

A new initiative of the Institute of Development Studies at the University of Sussex brings together 34 research projects exploring crises and responses to crises. The initiative aims to identify new thoughts and ideas on international development from across the globe and to bring them together to build a new consensus on the conduct and performance of international development in the 21st century.

The Reimagining Development initiative will focus on the following questions:

What is the evidence of the impacts of the multiple crises (financial, energy, food, confidence) on lives and livelihoods?

What is the evidence that significant shifts in values, relationships, ideas, methods, and behaviors are taking place?

What are some alternatives to the status gap that a particular place/space proposes in terms of ideas, values, relationships, methods, behaviors and knowledge?

Based on accumulated knowledge in the place/space what specifically has to change (or not) to support any alternatives emerging? And what are the best strategies and tactics for effecting change?

More information on the initiative is available here.