We talk about shifting the power, but are we really shifting the practice?

This special issue explores the experiences of those working to #shift the power in international development. In this introduction, we reflect on what it means to translate the rhetoric of power shifts into lived practice and institutional change. Our intention in this special issue was to amplify the place-based insights of development actors who are actively navigating and reshaping power relations in their daily work. We wanted to particularly learn from the practical experiences of people across various regions and countries within Africa, the Middle East, Asia, and Latin America. It is these voices and perspectives that must be at the forefront of what “shifting the power” means, determining its value, limitations and transformative potential within their specific context and to what extent that narrative is meaningful in practice, or not. We saw the special issue as a learning opportunity for the sector, a time to pause and reflect on whether we are walking the talk of #shift the power.