Decolonizing development education policy: The case of Germany

Abstract

Germany has only recently started to discuss the possible contribution, on a conceptual basis, of post-colonial theory to development education. Drawing on key policy papers, this article explores how post-colonial and antiracist critiques of German development education have changed the field in the past decade. It first provides the history of development education in Germany and sketches the recent, decade-long debate on post-colonial perspectives in the field. The article then puts forward how development education policy deals with the topics of development, colonialism and demographics. While colonial legacies had been a topic for debate in earlier times, a decidedly post-colonial critique only entered the field about a decade ago and continues to serve as a point of tension.