Can development remake itself for today’s world? To do so, it must shed its colonial baggage, embrace diverse voices and prioritise genuine sustainability.

Imagining a better future is at the heart of development. But mainstream development models are driven by a very narrow, Western-centric set of ideas about what it means to be human. What could be possible if we let ourselves imagine differently?

As our world continues to evolve at breakneck speed and faces unprecedented crises—from the decaying environment to cascading inequality—the need for bold new directions for development has never been greater. Peter Sutoris and Uma Pradhan put a spotlight on the thought-provoking visions of leading theorists, activists and practitioners for rethinking development as a political project towards more equitable futures. Questioning top-down economic frameworks, they explore transformative ideas—from degrowth to indigenous knowledge—that may enable us to address the complexities of our rapidly changing global landscape. They consider how the world can chart a path towards reconciling the moral case for eradicating poverty with these critical perspectives to advance a more ethical approach, one that is sensitive to history, diversity, and the challenges and opportunities of this moment.

If development is to remain relevant today, it must reinvent itself—and finally listen to voices on the ground.