Symposium, May 31, 2012, at 10-17 hours.
Hambergssalen, Geocentrum, Villavägen 16, Uppsala University

Democracy, including democratisation, and development, more recently including sustainable development, have been key concepts in world politics and social science all through the twentieth century. In recent decades, they were joined by the concept and issue of globalisation. To all three, the issue of power is inescapably crucial in determining needs to be met and in setting priorities, thus linking democracy to development from the most local to the most global level.

More than one decade into the twenty-first century, with large-scale poverty and political marginalisation remaining global phenomena, how can the complexities of sustainable development be faced, theoretically and practically?

The symposium addresses the meanings and realities of democracy and development and their linkages to globalisation and power. What meanings are assigned to these concepts? How do they connect? Such difficult questions and possible answers will be illuminated and debated by experienced and concerned scholars of various generations and backgrounds:

Yusuf Bangura, UNRISD, Geneva
Neera Chandhoke, University of Delhi
Beppe Karlsson, University of Stockholm
Seema Arora-Jonsson, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
Lars Rudebeck, DevNet, Uppsala University
Olle Törnquist, University of Oslo, (chair)

Download program found here. Download poster here.

Find here a background paper on the theme by Lars Rudebeck.

In his paper, Rudebeck attempts to sum up his thinking on the theme after half a century of research, teaching and efforts to support transdisciplinarity in the field of development studies. Lars Rudebeck was one of the founders of the interdisciplinary Uppsala-Stockholm arena called the AKUT Group (Working Group for the Study of Development Strategies) based at Uppsala University, 1976-1993, as well as the subsequent Seminar for Development Studies (SDS), which in 2008 was transformed into the nation-wide research network DevNet, both with Sida funding. The continuous aim of these and related constellations has been to promote interdisciplinary exchange in the field of ‘development studies’, and Lars Rudebeck has been one of the central figures in making this possible. Thus, the present symposium is also a tribute to this life-long effort of his.

The symposium marks the - probable - closure of DevNet, since we've come to the end of funding. We want to thank all of you who have participated in our events, making DevNet an exciting and stimulating arena for critical exchange and debate on issues of sustainable development, interlinking the crucial aspects of nature, poverty and power. Our national committee of engaged scholars has been most important in ensuring the scientific depth as well as geographic expanse of DevNet's activities. Lastly, we want to thank Sida for funding our network, and hope that Sida in the future will again decide to provide funding for research networks!

Thanks to all of you - hope to see you again also in the future!