Alternative development in a post-aid world
Bibliographic Data
| ID | 24230510 |
|---|---|
| Authors | Robtel Neajai Pailey (0000-0001-9584-6524, The London School of Economics and Political Science (LSE)), Eija Ranta-Owusu (0000-0002-6978-6174, University of Helsinki) |
| Year | 2026 |
| Pages | 1-11 |
| Publication date | 2026-10-09 |
| Open Access | Yes |
| Type | ARTICLE |
| Venue | Globalizations (JOURNAL) |
| Journal identifiers | ISSN: 1474-7731 • E-ISSN: 1474-774X |
| Publisher | Informa UK Limited (PUBLISHER • GB) |
| DOI | 10.1080/14747731.2026.2737582 |
| OpenAlex | W7213728518 |
| Language | EN |
| References cited | 4 |
In 2020, Liberian scholar-activist and author Robtel Neajai Pailey re-invigorated a debate about the colonial underpinnings of mainstream development and their racist logics with an influential journal article entitled ‘De-centering the “White Gaze” of Development’. She has since distinguished herself as a critical public voice on decoloniality. In this ‘keynote conversation’ with Finnish Society for Development Research (FSDR) member Eija Ranta – held during FSDR’s Development Days conference in 2026 at the University of Helsinki – Pailey reflects on whether the international aid system can be considered a catalyst for socio-economic transformation or a tool of neo-colonial control. She traces the evolution of international aid, explores varying perspectives on development assistance and highlights alternatives to the great aid debate. Ultimately, she maps out whether a post-aid world is possible and how the so-called ‘Global South’ can move beyond aid.
Decoloniality · Development aid · foreign aid · Global South · Neocolonialism · socio-economic change · white gaze · Decolonial Thought and Epistemologies · Development, Ethics, and Society · International Development and Aid
| Highly cited | No |
|---|