We would like to begin by thanking Brian Pratt for his vision in 1991 and his continuing work on the journal in the 2010s, as well as Deborah Eade before him. Both Brian and Deborah have contributed much to the growth and reach of the journal, and theirs are very big shoes to fill.
We are the new editorial team for Development in Practice and the Development Studies Association of Australia (DSAA), which has taken over editorial responsibility. The purpose of the DSAA is to promote critical inquiry, reflection, research, teaching, and the value of Development Studies, which aligns very much with DiP. The DSAA seeks to facilitate collaborations and engagement within and beyond the academy. The journal’s role of facilitating dialogue and learning across sectors, and being inclusive of a diversity of voices and perspectives, reflects our commitments and ambitions in advancing the study and practice of development through DiP.
The new and emerging directions in Development Studies and global development provide opportunities for the journal to advance the field in the following ways:
Furthering the decolonisation and democratisation of knowledge production by capturing lessons from not only the Global South but also from the Global North as the interface of this knowledge is essential in enriching DiP.
Promoting the dialogue between theory and practice to advance the understanding and effectiveness of “development” as a process.
Looking at where “development” is located though publishing articles that reflect changing development geographies. What is considered development “practice” is shifting: people living in so-called “advanced” countries live in “third world conditions” and vice versa; “wealth” as broadly understood is unevenly distributed within and across national contexts.
Allowing space for inter- and trans-disciplinary dialogue and innovations in development-associated fields such as humanitarian engineering or sustainable business practice, and now managing pandemics.
Making sense of the changes to funding models and the implication for “traditional” development actors, as well as promoting practitioner experience and knowledge.
Advancing what “practice” is, and can be, in light of technological changes and innovations. “Practice” in a digital age needs rethinking. Technology, artificial intelligence, big data, and proliferation of social media activism (among others) have become part of the new world order, yet their impact on the field of Development Studies is only now emerging.
Encouraging dialogue on the expansion of more experimentalist, flexible, and politically nuanced development assistance and development practice. DiP is suitably placed to make a critical contribution to such debates. A foundation of any development “practice” is the basic principle of social justice.
Development in Practice under the editorial leadership of DSAA would centre justice in Development Studies, as a process, to be inclusive and participatory in nature; working collaboratively within the DiP editorial team and with the advisory board. Constant collaboration is key to success in an editorial team that values the input of its members. To guard against the development of an unhelpful hierarchy, we will create clusters of expertise that collaborate as Thematic Editors on particular themes that are outlined in the Objectives of the journal, taking responsibility for increasing the quality of submission in these areas, and working closely with the editorial team. The clusters also provide opportunities for mutual learning and mentorship.
We will maintain and increase the quality and diversity of submissions, to reflect the diversity of voices in “development”, while ensuring quality, rigour, authenticity, and a strong contribution to advancing knowledge. We will ensure that: authors are encouraged to shift the focus from studying about communities, to study with them by reflecting on how research is conducted together through co-authorship and collaboration across sectors and institutions, and an adherence to ethical process and practices. We are looking for peer review that reflects the diversity of submissions; and will guide peer reviewers towards openness to divergent styles while ensuring quality. Special issues will continue and be co-edited by scholars from regions/areas of the world that are under-represented in scholarship, and reflect emerging issues or trends within the development sector.
We will develop instructions for authors and article templates that provide first-time authors with guidance that provides tips on how to publish in international journals. The shorter reflective pieces in the form of practice notes to complement traditional academic articles will continue, to encourage the inclusion of practitioners and emerging scholars. We will ensure a supportive peer review process so that it is a learning experience for the author. The editorial team will support early career researchers especially from the global South as well as researchers and practitioners for whom English is a second or third language to help develop articles for publication.
Finally, we will continue with the journal's tradition of publishing viewpoints and practice notes. These are shorter pieces than the journal articles (around 3000 words in length) and the viewpoint articles offer reflections on development issues and practices, while practice notes offer practitioners’ descriptions, insights, and analyses of the processes and ways in which development is carried out. These notes have been invaluable resources over the years, and offer practitioners, researchers and policy makers an appreciation of the internal workings of development, and making them transparent and open for discussion.
Also, we are announcing our first Special Issue and a call for papers: “Conflict Sensitivity in Development, Humanitarian and Peacebuilding Practice”. Two decades since the introduction of conflict sensitive development practice, the COVID-19 pandemic and continuing protracted conflict have brought into sharp focus that development, humanitarianism and peacebuilding is most effective when tailored to a specific context and community needs, as well as adaptive to change. Over two decades since Mary Anderson’s (1999) seminal book Do No Harm: How Aid Can Support Peace – or War, this special edition of Development in Practice is calling for contributions that reflect on what has been learned to date about conflict sensitive practice and the diversity of tools available as well as highlight new innovations in this field. We are looking for both full papers as well as practice notes and viewpoints.
A full call for papers will be released by 30 June 2021 – with papers accepted on a rolling basis until the end of 2021. For more information, please contact Susanne Schmeidl ([email protected]).
Thank you for taking the time to read this, and we look forward to continuing the dialogue of respect, knowledge sharing, and promotion of better and more reflexive development practices.