This talk will review the dilemma of establishing the development subjectivity of aid recipients that lies within international development research. Recently, a series of explorations based on China’s overseas development cooperation practices have fostered some potential pathways to build up development subjectivity. This implies the possibility of constructing a new type of mutual learning relationship. However, there has been a lack of analysis of the underlying mechanisms in a practical field.
Drawing from “Small Technologies, Big Harvests” project operated by China Agricultural University in Tanzania for a decade, this talk unravels the black box of new subject relationships and dynamic consensus formation in the practical field of South-South cooperation. Only after dissolving the constraints of traditional development imaginations and relations between both sides can new cooperation mindset and modalities truly commence. That is, refining the elaboration on the debates on subjectivity, ownership and agency, this paper contributes to the discussion on the cooperation paradigm shift between China and other global South countries, and thus enriches the knowledge landscape of global China.
Xu Xiuli is currently a Professor of College of Humanities and Development Studies, Dean of the College of International Development and Global Agriculture (CIDGA) at China Agricultural University, Beijing, P.R. China. She has studied and worked in development sector since the end of 1990s and is the author of a series of top journal articles on China’s aid, development knowledge, and China’s overseas investment at World Development, Development and Change, Journal of Peasant Studies, World Economics and Politics, and win several awards on development studies and south-south cooperation in China and globally. She has broad international collaboration with development partners such as UNDP, UNOSSC, FAO, and the WB. She is the Director of the Committee of Global Development and Rural Studies of Rural Development Society of China (RDSC). She is also the initiator of the book series on “International Development, Area Studies and Global Governance”, as well as the public knowledge platform: IDT (International Development Times) disseminating frontier debates about development studies in China and beyond.
Speakers:
- Xu Xiuli, Professor and Dean of the College of International Development and Global Agriculture, China Agricultural University.
Discussant:
- Lidia Cabral, IDS Research Fellow and Rural Futures Cluster Lead.
Chair:
- Jing Gu, IDS Research Fellow and Director of IDS China Centre.
How to watch
This event will be in person only.
Accessibility
This event will take place in the IDS Convening Space which is on the 1st floor of the IDS Building. If you need to use a lift then press floor 1A.
If you have any accessibility issues then contact [email protected]
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