​This post is a contribution to an online symposium on the changing nature of knowledge production in fragile states, published as part of a new series by Humanity Journal. The article builds upon the first piece in this series by Deval Desai and Rebecca Tapscott on ‘the research supply chain and the ethics of knowledge production’.

In ‘Turning the gaze on ourselves’ the authors reflect on the process through which new 'evidence' is produced within the international development industry. It is suggested that there are three stages to this process: building evidence, translating evidence and dislodging evidence. The article explores these stages each in turn, whilst also offering  up some cursory warnings as to the deeply political and problematic nature of producing ‘evidence’ in development work.

Lisa Denney and Pilar Domingo