Routledge

Routledge

English

"This is a hugely valuable text that looks at a real opportunity to take development thinking and action forward through a dialogue between human development and the Catholic social tradition. Whilst it is written in a style that is very informative and suitable as an introductory text, it is conceptually rich and opens up important questions. Deneulin reminds us that there are no simple blueprints for the future, and shows how the two approaches encourage us to react to a complex, uncertain world thoughtfully. From a development studies perspective, the Catholic angle offers new avenues for thought regarding the place of solidarity and love in our schema, and provides new dimensions for our consideration of how public reasoning is supposed to bring about transformative change." -- Simon McGrath, UNESCO Chair in International Education and Development; and Professor, School of Education, University of Nottingham, UK "This book brilliantly transposes the thinking of Nobel-prize winning economist, Amartya Sen, with the theology of the Catholic Church on objectives of development, conditions needed for human flourishing, and the place of human beings in the natural world. It suggests many areas of broad agreement, and areas where one could learn from the other, with insightful indications of weaknesses in each approach. Catholic emphasis on seeing the world as integral, with people integrally connected to nature, the economy, and society, is contrasted with the individualism of Sen’s writings; while Sen’s emphasis on gender equality is contrasted with the marginalization of women in Catholic writings. Both secular students of development and those concerned with evolving Catholic doctrine have a great deal to learn from this excellent book." -- Frances Stewart, Professor Emeritus of Development Economics, University of Oxford, UK