we want to have a discussion about Ethicizing Development.

Ethical considerations play a major role in international development projects. In the recent past, the international development community has come to realize the detriments of practices like voluntourism, urging a closer look at the ethical dimensions of mainstream development practices.
Development practitioners working in a field driven by the quest for funding often grapple with ethical questions about conventional mechanisms, such as storytelling. In a post-COVID-19 world, decisions for rebuilding and supporting society will inevitably raise ethical dilemmas that actors in the Global North and Global South must be ready to comprehensively and collaboratively address.
In this space, we want to talk about ways in which development theory and practice can be ethically problematic. What precautions should be taken in order to minimize the risk of these ethical dilemmas? What is the importance of ethical considerations in the sector of international development, and how should development practitioners be responding to ethical concerns? How do we move development as a practice into a more equitable and ethical era?

Leave us your thoughts below. We can’t wait to chat.

here are some resources that we and others have found useful throughout this conversation:

IRDC: Research ethics practices during COVID-19

UNDP: Ethics

This is a moderated discussion space. We will take every measure to make sure that we are working to create an inclusive space of inclusion. In this affirmation, we are still learning. Should you have any concerns with a post, please email communications.idw@aedsa.ca. 

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It's interesting to think about the ethical dimensions of discourse in development. As a funding-driven field, storytelling and language that elicits care for a cause and consequent donations is often a priority. Sometimes, as we know, this can take the form of "poverty porn" and other unethical means. How do we strike a balance between donation-driven language that can lead to successful financing of development projects and doing so in an ethical, locally diverse, empowering way?

-yasmin rajwani

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Hi Yasmin, this is really important to consider, and an interesting question! I think one potential way to strike the balance would be emphasizing the role of financing local action in order to solve problems? One problem I have with development messaging is that a lot of people think it's okay to ACKNOWLEDGE problems of ethics in the development sector, neocolonialism, etc., and then go and perpetuate it anyways. As in, "if we call ourselves out before anyone else can, we've covered the topic". If we want to put our money where our mouth is and walk the walk, the emphasis should be on equipping LOCAL populations to solve their own problems and implement their own solutions. Why do development specialists from the North need to fly over on comfortable jets and make a trip out of it when localized solutions may very well create better solutions to the problem?

-Rebecca Judd

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A critical view of ethics in development is incredibly important. As current and future development professionals, we must remember that successful projects must be ethical from start to finish.

Keeping the ethics of development in mind when holding these discussions is incredibly important. Outside funding is often necessary to complete projects, but considerations must be made to ensure that funding is ethically sourced. As well, practitioners must ensure that a variety of needs are considered and that projects are ethical from the start.

-IDW 2021

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