IDS researchers are out in force this year presenting at this years Development Studies Association (DSA) conference – the biggest of its kind in Europe – and which takes place at the University of Bath from the 25 to 27 June. The theme of the conference this year is Navigating crisis: Dangers and opportunities in development.
The world has been experiencing profoundly unsettling times and compounding experiences of crisis in the continual unfolding of capitalist development. Alongside rising inequalities, inflation, and enforced austerity, people have been subjected to an admixture of dangers: escalating wars, polarised politics, recurring health emergencies, and deepening ecological crises. Policymakers are increasingly referring to a ‘polycrisis’, where global risks come together to exceed the sum of their parts. Yet, alongside profound dangers, crises always generate commensurate opportunities for transformation and positive change. We invite reflections on how this danger/opportunity dialectic at the heart of crisis and capitalism is playing out in the field of development.
At DSA2025, colleagues are invited to wrestle with the ways in which development theories and practices, contested epistemologies and methodological challenges confront crises and uncertainty, and contribute (or not) to new opportunities for positive change. Some potential questions to grapple with include:
- How have development plans and visions been shaped by deepening and pervasive crises and uncertainty?
- How do expectations and dreams of the future impact the contested purpose of development and its many ideas of progress?
IDS researchers at DSA 2025
Over twenty IDS researchers are presenting this year on a wide variety of panels and roundtables. They will be presenting cutting-edge research covering topics such as poverty dynamics, social protection, development aid and climate change.
Below is a full list of the sessions IDS researchers are convening.
Wednesday 25 June
Poverty dynamics amidst recurrent crises: Reflections, responses and revivals
With Vidya Diwakar, IDS Research Fellow.
Investing in frontline capacities for social protection in deepening crises
With Becky Carter, IDS Researcher.
Breaking the mould: seeking equity through reforging mechanisms for ‘North-South’ research collaborations
With Peter Taylor, IDS Director.
Friday 27 June
Challenging authoritarian developmentalism and crisis from below: Perspectives from India
With Deepta Chopra, Samreen Mushtaq and Lyla Mehta, IDS Fellows.
Decolonising development aid for collective action on climate change: tackling the trust deficit
With Peter Taylor, IDS Director.
The following IDS colleagues are also presenting papers.
Wednesday 25 June
Developing a toolkit for embodied research methodologies
Sofya Shahab, IDS PhD candidate and Tessa Lewin, IDS Research Fellow
Thursday 26 June
Understanding the impact of climate change on the ability of women farmers in the Sunderban delta to preform and continue their practice of agriculture
Arti Rajput, Abhinaya Sridhar and Aranya Sawhney Malik, IDS Master’s Students.
Digital transformations and lived experiences: Navigating India’s platform economy as women domestic workers
Salonie Hiriur, IDS PhD candidate
Friday 27 June
Can we avoid a green resource curse: Natural resource diversification, backward linkages and the role of non-technological capabilities
Anabel Marin, IDS Research Fellow and Jose Morales, IDS PhD Student.
Mediating care as a gateway or gatekeeper for women’s economic participation in Cairo’s handicraft workshops
Maha Gaad, IDS PhD Student.
Transdisciplinary pandemic resilience in Africa: Mobilising community expertise
Catherine Grant, IDS Research Fellow.
How to attend
The #DSA2025 conference takes place from the 25 to 27 June and will be organised and hosted by the University of Bath.
For details on how to attend, click here.
