Forum for Development Studies was established in 1974, and soon became the leading Norwegian journal for development research. While this position has been consolidated, Forum has gradually become an international journal, with its main constituency in the Nordic countries. The journal is owned by the Norwegian Institute of International Affairs (NUPI) and the Norwegian Association for Development Research.

Forum aims to be a platform for development research broadly defined – including the social sciences, economics, history and law. All articles are peer-reviewed. In order to maintain the journal as a meeting place for different disciplines, we encourage authors to communicate across disciplinary boundaries. Contributions that limit the use of exclusive terminology and frame the questions explored in ways that are accessible to the whole range of the Journal's readership will be given priority.

We encourage articles with a solid empirical foundation, including empirical findings based on the practical implementation of development projects, but also contributions of a more theoretical nature. In particular, we welcome articles that explore new perspectives within development studies, and examine the implications of such theories for the study of development processes.