<p>Aspirations for universality in development studies have faced the challenges and charges of neocolonialism, racism, cultural relativism, exceptionalism, and exclusion. The analytical starting point of this essay is the importance of recognising that there are, ironically, a variety of ‘universalisms’ related to development studies discourse. The essay first considers the competing traditional universalisms of modernisation, neoliberalism, and structuralism. It then explores the more recent universalism of the global development discourse and its critics. Finally, it proposes hybridization and an overlapping consensus as a future way forward that recognises the inherent problems of universalism, but that nevertheless can bring together epistemological adversaries in a holistic, progressive, cooperative project.</p>