III. Scales

Abstract

Despite a recent shift towards Global South-centred histories of development, women in and from Asia and Africa remain largely neglected in the historiography. In response, this Arenas issue examines the implications of situating the roles and experiences of women at the centre of historical analysis in this field. Bringing together scholars with diverse research expertise, the discussion reflects on the gendered meanings of development in twentieth-century colonial and post-colonial societies and emphasises the need for an expansive definition that takes in social welfare activities alongside industrial and economic projects. The forum explores some of the ways in which researching Asian and African women’s histories of development present particular challenges while at the same time offering conceptual and methodological insights that are relevant to the wider field. ‘Scales’ grapples with the multi-scalar nature of development history and develops insights on the contextual workings of power and agency.