Introduction to Special Issue: Development, Learning and Education. Post-pandemic Considerations? (NorDev21)

Abstract

This Introduction to special issue provides a context for the Nordic Development Research Conference 2021 (NorDev21). It introduces the contents of the conference and contributions within the issue revolved around two main themes of (1) Learning, education, Covid-19 pandemic and decolonizing and (2) State, Democracy, and Citizenship.

Keywords:

• NorDev21
• education
• learning
• post-pandemic
• decolonialization
• citizenship
• state

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).

Notes

1 The conference was organized jointly by the Finnish Society for Development Research, the Association of Development Researchers in Denmark, the Norwegian Association for Development Research, and the Swedish Development Research Network, the launch of which was acknowledged and celebrated during the conference.

2 We thank the conference student assistants from the International Master’s Degree Programme in Development, Education, and International Cooperation at the University of Jyväskylä Ella Heikkinen, Magdalena Pernthaler, and Rebekka Flam for excellent summaries of the keynote speeches and all the excellent practical assistance provided during the conference. We thank also the conference secretary Marianne Lampi who ensured the successful implementation of the conference in the midst of multiple uncertainties. The following sketch of the two keynote speeches does not present a comprehensive summary but a selection which highlights the themes of learning and education. For more detail on the speakers’ thought, see Herrera 2022; 2015; Bayat and Herrera 2021, and Tikly 2019.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Tiina Kontinen

Tiina Kontinen is an Associate Professor in International Development Studies at the University of Jyväskylä. She chaired the organizing committee for NorDev21 conference.

Ilona Steiler

Ilona Steiler is a Postdoctoral researcher at Tampere University. She was a member of the organizing committee and chair of the Finnish Society for Development Research (FSDR) at the time of NorDev21 conference.