News – SweDev

SweDev Welcomes Anna Mia Ekström as Our New Chairperson

As of the beginning of 2026, Anna Mia Ekström has stepped into the position of Chair of SweDev. Before taking on this role, Anna Mia has been an engaged member of SweDev’s steering group and executive committee, and we are very pleased that she now continues her commitment by stepping into this role. With her extensive experience and valuable knowledge, we are confident in her role as the new Chair of the SweDev network.

NorDev25: Panel Recordings and Call for Papers

On 24-26 September 2025, the Joint Nordic Development Research conference (NorDev25) took place in Ås, at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences. Recordings from the panel sessions are now available on the conference webpage, along with a call for papers for a special issue of Forum of Development Studies. The call is open until January 31st and welcomes submissions aligned with the conference theme.

Aid Cuts in a Global Crisis: Anna Mia Ekström Interviewed on Ekot

Following the Swedish government’s decision to cut development aid and end bilateral support to five countries, SweDev’s incoming chair Anna Mia Ekström warns in an interview with the Swedish Radio Ekot that the timing could not be worse. She stresses that the cuts risk worsening global crises, increasing health risks, and weakening Sweden’s long-standing role as a reliable development partner.

When Development Becomes Injustice: Critical Analysis of the Namibian Case

A newly published article examines how development can reproduce injustice when its benefits for some come at the expense of others. It analyses the legacy of colonial land dispossession and the limited progress toward restorative justice in Namibia, and argues that decolonisation requires addressing the structural inequalities that persist and returning appropriated resources to affected communities.

SweDev’s Parliamentary Seminar Called for Action to Protect Swedish International Development Research

On 19 November, SweDev moderated a seminar in the Swedish parliament highlighting the urgent challenges facing development research amid funding cuts – including declining international cooperation and researchers shifting fields – and the importance of strengthening researcher–practitioner collaboration and secure Sweden’s role in global development research.

Insights from SweDev’s Member Survey 2025: How have funding cuts affected Sweden’s international development research?

SweDev’s 2025 Member Survey shows how recent funding cuts are reshaping Swedish development research. Researchers report shifting away from global development priorities, weakened collaborations with the Global South, and rising pessimism among early-career scholars about their future in the field.

New Research Sheds Light on What Drives Support for Climate Policy

A recent international survey-based study by researcher Felix Schulz (LUCSUS) and Christian Brette (University of Queensland) reveals a new take on why some people strongly back climate action while others do not. Their findings show that familiar psychological constructs effectively boil down to two core orientations of a self-focus and other-focus.

SweDev’s chair becomes new head of Sida’s research unit

Jesper Sundewall, SweDev’s chair and researcher at Lund University, will become the Head of the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency’s Research Unit starting 1 January 2026. The research unit is now being reinstated after previously having been removed. Jesper has been part of SweDev’s steering committee since 2020.

SweDev at NorDev 2025

The Joint Nordic Development Research Conference (NorDev25) was held at NMBU in Ås, Norway, gathering around 200 participants to discuss solidarity, social justice, and sustainability in uncertain times. SweDev was represented by Janet Vähämäki in the final panel, contributing reflections on the importance of continued research cooperation and solidarity across borders.