Do we as researchers and, more importantly, as humans, want to be part of an academic world where we "argue" for the sake of arguments as if it were a mere exercise, or do we realize the importance of the arguments we are making and their normativity in shaping realities?

This report summarizes the dissemination workshop “Social protection for inclusive growth in Africa?”, hosted by the research group Social and Health Policies for Inclusive Growth (SHPIG) at the University of Amsterdam on 30 June 2017. The workshop was a half-day dissemination event, to share some key findings from the SHPIG project and get feedback from moderated roundtable discussions.

This paper explores the concepts of development and development studies and their links to Agenda 2030. It revisits earlier efforts towards a new development paradigm and thereby looks beyond the SDGs. It examines the efforts towards sustainable development as a concept within an emancipatory discourse, which should be rooted in global solidarity, justice and human dignity. It thereby advocates an agenda, which aims at rather complementing if not transcending Agenda 2030, instead of being limited to full compliance within the confinement of the SDGs. This is motivated and guided by the interest to maintain ownership by scholars over development studies instead of surrendering the power of definition to the political and aid bureaucracy.

August 2017, by Henning Melber

The paradigm shift towards sustainability must go ahead at full speed

The SDGs are a sound basis for dealing with the major challenges humanity must rise to – and government revenues matter

The academic field of development studies must react to trends like the rise of emerging markets, climate change and migration