Developmental pracademics: who they are and why they matter

Abstract

Unlike other fields of scholarship, development studies lack sufficient acknowledgment and appreciation of the role and value of pracademics, understood as individuals who are simultaneously practitioners and academics consciously positioning themselves and acting as social change agents. This article analyses pracademia as a contested institutional terrain, provides examples of the value added by pracademics, sets out plans for achieving recognition by building stronger career paths, and identifies avenues for further research. Its objective is to initiate a conversation about pracademics in the disciplines of global development, what they can achieve, and how to make their work more impactful. Recognising the value of pracademia, treating it as an institutional asset and increasing its relevance within academia are key first steps to furthering its overall impact.