New IGDC working paper on decolonising research

IGDC has released a new  working paper titled 'Decolonising Research: Tackling obstacles and working through challenges’. The paper combines insights from IGDC's Decolonising Development Research Podcast series with existing literature to examine the opportunities and challenges of decolonising research. While an extensive body of work has already debated the nature and necessity of decolonising research, this paper focuses on three challenges decolonisation can present: to research partnerships, methods, and impact.

Drawing on podcast contributors' first-hand experiences, as well as other case studies, this paper presents a toolkit in the form of considerations researchers can work through to overcome or manage these challenges. Questions addressed include: how can Global North - Global South partnerships be made more equitable? How can non-European cultures be incorporated into research epistemology, theory, and practice? And how can we ensure research serves the interests of Global South societies? This paper provides a valuable resource for those seeking to decolonise their practice and motivates further discussion on the practicalities and challenges of decolonisation