Rethinking development beyond postcolonial discourses: a commonsense-critical approach

This paper proposes a commonsense-critical approach to development by critiquing both postcolonial discourse and donor-driven ‘new theories’ promoted by multilateral institutions. Postcolonial theory-inspired development discourses have made little contribution to tackling concrete developmental issues beyond intellectualising these. Buzzwords in international development circle, such as ‘best practice’, ‘transparency’ and ‘good governance’ often ignore historically formed social context and fail to offer meaningful solutions. Drawing on alternative development theories from the Global South, the paper challenges the rigid North–South binary and advocates for bridging ‘Western’ and indigenous knowledge systems. It promotes a balanced, inclusive and culturally sensitive framework that critiques hegemonic biases without reverting to hyper-critical nativism. Emphasising the importance of reflective, context-aware development, this approach addresses structural inequalities rooted in colonial and postcolonial legacies. Using education as an empirical reference point, the paper illustrates how dominant development rhetoric frequently fails to address practical challenges, instead perpetuating deep-rooted disparities. Ultimately, the paper calls for a reimagined development discourse, one that foregrounds equity, sustainability and sensibilities to both cultural and epistemic diversities.