Human Development and the Catholic Social Tradition: Towards an Integral Ecology

by Séverine Deneulin

This book brings development theory and practice into dialogue with a religious tradition in order to construct a new, transdisciplinary vision of development with integral ecology at its heart. It focuses on the Catholic social tradition and its conception of integral human development, on the one hand, and on the works of economist and philosopher Amartya Sen which underpin the human development approach, on the other. The book discusses how these two perspectives can mutually enrich each other around three their views on the concept and meaning of development and progress; their understanding of what it is to be human – that is, their anthropological vision; and their analysis of transformational pathways for addressing social and environmental degradation. It also examines how both human development and the Catholic social tradition can function as complementary analytical lenses and mobilizing frames for embarking on the journey of structural and personal transformation to bring all life systems, human and non-human, back into balance. This book is written for researchers and students in development studies, theology, and religious studies, as well as professional audiences in development organizations.

108 pages, Paperback

First published May 20, 2021

About the author

Her research is in the area of development ethics, broadly defined as a critical ethical reflection on the meaning of ‘progress’ and the means to achieve it. Most of her research has focused on the works in ethics and economics by Indian economist and philosopher Amartya Sen, and the Catholic social tradition. Her regional expertise is Latin America, and she has had extensive academic collaboration with universities in the region. Her research interests include natural resource extraction and global value chains, the role of social movements and faith-based actors in reducing inequality and creating more sustainable economies.

Reviews

[Andy Febrico Bintoro · Rating 4 out of 5]

The book explained more on social issues and its connection with catholic teaching. For example, they argue when some people are rolling in luxury and others are near starvation as long as the starvers cannot be made better off without cutting into the pleasures of the rich… society or an economy can be Pareto optimal and still be perfectly disgusting.