No full-text available
To read the full-text of this research,
you can request a copy directly from the author.
Religion and Sustainable Development: Analysing the Connections
Sustainable Development
Abstract
Religion's role in development has generally been viewed with suspicion, if not indifference, in scholarly and institutional concerns with development planning and policy. The last two decades, however, mark a departure, with a burgeoning interest in religion as a category of analysis in development studies. In this paper, I address the religion–sustainable development nexus specifically, and argue that religion – for both its constructive and destructive potential – must be considered in the sustainable development agenda. Specifically, I identify three ways in which religion may play an important role in enabling sustainable development – through its values, through its potential for social and ecological activism and in the realm of self-development. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
... The values of sustainable development have been present in the Holy Quran and Hadith for centuries. Islamic Declaration reaffirmed Islam long-standing commitment to environment conservation through sustainability (Narayanan, 2013). An inclusive and cohesive approach that combines environmental, economic and social components of sustainable growth is required, and clear commitment that must be required all over the cooperative efforts to ensure our common future (UNESCO, 2009). ...
... Religion, according to Narayanan (2013), is the key to achieving the economic sustainability. Prophet Muhammad, whose primary business is trade and commerce, emphasized the unfeigned importance of the economy from the beginning of Islam (Ibrahim, Rahman & Basir, 2010). ...
... According to Narayanan (2013), religion can play a part in achieving economic, social, and environmental sustainability. The three ways that religion can contribute to sustainability through the principles it upholds, its capacity for action in the areas of social, political, and environmental issues (based on those values), its ability to foster personal growth (Astrom, 2011). ...
The concept of sustainability in Islam refers to Islam as a guide and rule that can affect the faith of Muslim and its consequences for environmental, social, and economic profits. The chief aim of this research study was to investigate association between Islamic studies content and Education for sustainable development, to identify contents in Islamic studies curriculum that served ESD by conducting a content analysis of the BS in Islamic studies Scheme of Studies to determine the presence of the three pillars of ESD (Environmental, economic & social), and thus providing evidence for features and functions of higher education in Islamic studies. According to the findings, ESD is not a novel idea in Islam. Thus, symbol of Islam became the capital of knowledge from the start of Islamic history. The Islam constantly encourage humans to gain knowledge. Findings can serve as the solid foundation for encouraging ESD in Pakistan for current Islamic Studies curriculum at all levels of education thereby providing evidence-based strategies for achieving SDGs. Research into the content of other textbooks at all levels of education in Pakistan is also recommended.
... Every year, millions of tourists move around the world for reasons of faith, activating a multi-billion dollar business that only continues to grow (UNWTO, 2019). As a part of cultural heritage, religion represents a key resource for local development (Narayanan, 2013;Vukonic, 2002;Willson et al., 2013) and is thus attracting increasing research Fervid attachment to religious rites attention (Collins-Kreiner, 2020). Religious tourists usually look for experiences that fulfill both their need for spirituality (Willson et al., 2013) and their genius loci (Petzet, 2008) that is, the essence of a place and all the characteristics of its environment and inhabitants. ...
... 2. Literature review 2.1 Religious tourism Cultural heritage and religion have been recognized as fundamental resources (Kim et al., 2020;Narayanan, 2013) for tourism destinations. Interestingly, recent studies (i.e. ...
... From a tourism marketing perspective, the promotion of religious rites such as the Holy Week can not only enrich those who participate, but contribute to the development of tourism destinations and protect their cultural heritage and identity. This is particularly relevant nowadays because, as Narayanan (2013) noted, place marketers should consider new strategies to guard, protect and manage religious heritage, its traditions and rites, in order to favor destination development (Vukonic, 2002; Traditions -Individuals require correct disclosure of the inner matrix and the motivations behind the Rites, defending the correct dissemination of information about it, warning those who use it for wrong reasons without understanding its traditions and symbols Rituality symbols Pilgrimage timing, scheduling and gestures -The pilgrimage is manifested in dramatically implemented behaviors and is performed with a certain formality, seriousness, and respect in the same way, every year, and the perfect adherence to the methods of the "tradition", guarantee the "goodness" and the "quality" of the edition Pilgrimage systematicity -The pilgrimage follows a precise order, with rules imposed repeated methodically, essence of the same rite: The good realization is a source of self-gratification ...
Purpose
The purpose of this paper is aimed to examine natives' Fervid Attachment to religious rites, as a part of cultural heritage, in its extrinsic (sense of belonging, rituality) and intrinsic (intimate bond, emotionality) characteristics, by shedding light on how leveraging on these characteristics could be emphasized to promote sustainable local development.
Design/methodology/approach
Based on the principles of an ethnographic research approach based on observational methods, this paper analyzes the rites of Holy Week in Taranto, a city located in the Southern Italy, by capturing individuals' behavior according the concept of Fervid Attachment.
Findings
Results show that tourism destinations preserving their traditions and religious rites as part of their cultural heritage can satisfy tourists' spirituality needs and, by promoting the interaction with the local population (natives) in terms of relationship between them and tourists, supporting local communities' development. Moreover their Fervid Attachment in terms of sense of belonging, rituality, intimate bond and emotionality could be empathized to promote sustainable local development.
Practical implications
Our results provide suggestions on how local policymakers and tourism marketers could leverage natives' attachment to religious rites to boost religious tourism.
Originality/value
This paper shows from a new perspective based on the concept of natives' Fervid Attachment how local people are relevant in promoting a tourism destination.
... In the last two decades, there has been a growing volume of academic literature with religion as its main research focus in relation to development and sustainability (Alkire 2006;Leal-Filho et al. 2019). Some writers emphasise the function of religion in development (Haynes 2007;Tomalin et al. 2019), others focus on the content of religious faiths (Deneulin and Bano 2009;Narayanan 2013;Leal-Filho et al. 2019), yet others assess and acknowledge cooperation between religious leaders and agencies, and secular development actors on the ground (Berry 2014;Tomalin 2015). Others, however, emphasise the irrelevance of religion (Ekardt 2020), or outright incompatibilities between religion and development (Juergensmeyer 2000). ...
... Assessing religiosity, its role in defining who we are, what we value most, and what ultimately motivates us to act, becomes a relevant task in assessing dispositions towards a sustainable future. Religiosity can thus contribute to a person's development, alongside other general aspects intrinsically valued by individuals, such as safety, health, or self-direction (Narayanan 2013). ...
... In addition, religious belief positively influences universalism, defined as an inclination to live a life that cares for nature and shows concern for the environment. Both of these findings are supported by earlier studies and theories, stating that religion, as a metaphysical reality, can be a resource for building a moral sense of self, which, in turn, can facilitate the development of attitudes and behaviours that promote sustainable development concerns (Deneulin and Bano 2009;Narayanan 2013;Ives and Kidwell 2019). ...
The aim of this study is to analyse the complex interplay between religiosity, individual values, and support for human rights relevant to development, in a Romanian context marked by high levels of religiosity and low levels of socioeconomic development. The study employs a quantitative empirical research project involving high school students (N-681) in all the capital cities of the regional development areas of Romania. The results of hierarchical multiple regression analysis indicate that some dimensions of religiosity (religious belief and faith) are positive predictors of support for socioeconomic rights, universalism, and human dignity, and thus are conducive to sustainable development attitudes and practices. However, other dimensions, such as theism, positively predict traditionalism, while negatively predicting universalism, which may indicate a lower propensity towards supporting development. Hence, it can be inferred that for this sample, religiosity has a real but limited role in supporting some human rights and individual values conducive to a culture of development relevant to the United Nations (UN) 2030 Agenda. Individual values such as self-direction and universalism seem to play a more important role.
... Many studies (Chakraborty, 1997;Ghoshal, 2005;Mahadevan, 2013;Nayak, 2018) discussed the necessity to bring changes in management philosophies by including ethics and intellectual pluralism, multidimensionality of spirituality, and enriching the current discourses on management with enriched Indian 'consciousness ethics approach' with western 'analytical ethics approach'. Spirituality brings environmental and social activism, ethics and notion of self-development which can play a significant role in enabling sustainable development (Houston and Cartwright, 2007;Milliman et al., 2003;Narayanan, 2013;Sur, 2017;Mathew et al., 2018). Thus, this makes room and requirement for adopting spirituality in the present sustainable development agenda (Karakas, 2010;Narayanan, 2013;Mukherjee, 2011;Yadav and Awasthi, 2018). ...
... Spirituality brings environmental and social activism, ethics and notion of self-development which can play a significant role in enabling sustainable development (Houston and Cartwright, 2007;Milliman et al., 2003;Narayanan, 2013;Sur, 2017;Mathew et al., 2018). Thus, this makes room and requirement for adopting spirituality in the present sustainable development agenda (Karakas, 2010;Narayanan, 2013;Mukherjee, 2011;Yadav and Awasthi, 2018). ...
... Sustainable development and the role of spirituality have ubiquitous resemblances which will help to alter present management discourses and address pertinent issues. From the perspective of scholarly and organisational concerns, spirituality has become mainstream and relevant in development studies which follow sustainable development agenda (Karakas, 2010;Narayanan, 2013). Table 1 elucidates the various spiritual practices and philosophy which are directly associated with the 17 SDGs, their implications and key references. ...
... Many studies (Chakraborty, 1997;Ghoshal, 2005;Mahadevan, 2013;Nayak, 2018) discussed the necessity to bring changes in management philosophies by including ethics and intellectual pluralism, multidimensionality of spirituality, and enriching the current discourses on management with enriched Indian 'consciousness ethics approach' with western 'analytical ethics approach'. Spirituality brings environmental and social activism, ethics and notion of self-development which can play a significant role in enabling sustainable development (Houston and Cartwright, 2007;Milliman et al., 2003;Narayanan, 2013;Sur, 2017;Mathew et al., 2018). Thus, this makes room and requirement for adopting spirituality in the present sustainable development agenda (Karakas, 2010;Narayanan, 2013;Mukherjee, 2011;Yadav and Awasthi, 2018). ...
... Spirituality brings environmental and social activism, ethics and notion of self-development which can play a significant role in enabling sustainable development (Houston and Cartwright, 2007;Milliman et al., 2003;Narayanan, 2013;Sur, 2017;Mathew et al., 2018). Thus, this makes room and requirement for adopting spirituality in the present sustainable development agenda (Karakas, 2010;Narayanan, 2013;Mukherjee, 2011;Yadav and Awasthi, 2018). ...
... Sustainable development and the role of spirituality have ubiquitous resemblances which will help to alter present management discourses and address pertinent issues. From the perspective of scholarly and organisational concerns, spirituality has become mainstream and relevant in development studies which follow sustainable development agenda (Karakas, 2010;Narayanan, 2013). Table 1 elucidates the various spiritual practices and philosophy which are directly associated with the 17 SDGs, their implications and key references. ...
... Despite his criticism, White considers a specific cultural-religious contribution to be the solution to environmental degradation. Other authors such as Gardner (2002); Tucker (2008); Wolf and Gjerris (2009);Narayanan (2013); Berry (2014) and Reuter (2015), later coincided in highlighting the contributions of religions to SD and climate change mitigation. The contribution of religions to SD was given unprecedented recognition in 2015 at the COP 21 Climate Change Conference held in Paris from 30 November to 11 December (World Council of Churches 2015). ...
... Technical solutions alone will be insufficient to stem the unravelling of the web of life (Tucker and Grim 2001). If the unsustainable situation of the planet is the consequence of a crisis of values (Berry 1999 andFrancis 2015), SD will only be achieved providing profound values education and religions play a key role in this task (Narayanan 2013 andHaluza-DeLay 2014). Religions value caring for the environment and are concerned about it. ...
... The study-especially its ethnographic part-shows religious entities are often unaware of the fact they are contributing efficiently to SDGs through the numerous activities they promote. Over the past decades, several authors (Tucker 2008;Narayanan 2013 andBerry 2014) have highlighted the importance of collaboration between civil and religious entities and the endeavour to improve sustainability. ...
In September 2015, the United Nations revised the Millennium Development Goals and set the global agenda for the next 15 years under a new title: “Transforming our World: the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development”. The harmful effects of climate change and other serious environmental problems are directly related to human problems like poverty and malnutrition, making a holistic approach to Sustainable Development (SD) necessary. Religious leaders from around the world have signed statements in favour of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) such as peace, climate justice or environmental protection. Many efforts have been made by religious institutions around the world to promote these and other aspects related to SD. This paper presents the findings of a case-study to explore the practical contribution of religious organisations to the SDGs in Catalonia (Spain) by means of qualitative and quantitative research. The results of this study show that religions actively contribute to SDGs solving human problems and that it can be a field of inter-religious dialogue.
... Following the above excogitations, it is clear that religion has a key role to play in sustainable development. Narayanan (2013) has found a three-way interpretation of this role, namely, through the values it offers, through its potential for ecological, social and political activism (based on those values) and through its capacity to enable self-development. In the first, religion offers a wealth of universal values, which lends itself to interpretation and practice by individual seekers and practitioners, both religious and secular, to inform their sustainability practice. ...
... Secondly, religion can be helpful in influencing ecological and social activism, which may be quasi-religious nature. Finally, it can help in the more personal realm of self-development since the human self, and the development of the self, has become a source of preoccupation for many development (Narayanan, 2013). ...
The fact that Africa is incurably religious has been variously re-echoed by scholars since it gained prominence with John S. Mbiti. This need not be overemphasized as religion is almost an identity definer in key societal matters. As most critical minds continue to berate religion as the factor responsible for the underdevelopment of the continent, many others surging for best ways to make religion the important factor that it should be to Africa's development. There is no gainsaying that religious practices in Africa have left them with the ethical challenge to reckon with. This discourse contends that there is a dire need for ethical expression of religious practices in Africa to ensure that the goal of sustainable development is not negatively impacted. Using the exploratory approach, the discourse shows that religious activities in Africa today portray unethical practices that make caricature of religion and what contribution it can bring to sustainable development. It concludes that religious bodies in Africa must be guided by ethical principles in the display of their spirituality to guarantee sustainable development.
... Sustainability is defined as development that meets the present needs without compromising the need for future generations to meet their own needs. Practising sustainability requires a careful balance between optimizing the needs of current stakeholders and preserving available resources for the consumption of future stakeholders (Narayanan, 2013). The balance between optimization and preservation is challenging, as optimization, primarily driven by economic endeavours, usually hampers the preservation efforts for future generations. ...
... A modern and contemporary definition of sustainability is the sustainability of religious practice (Narayanan, 2013). As light pollution hampers the consistent determination of Subh prayer times, light pollution hampers the notion of sustainability in religious practice. ...
Astrotourism is tourism that uses astronomy as its main attraction. As astrotourism requires astronomy phenomena, it requires a location free from light pollution. As some have posited locations free from light pollution as one of the cultivating elements for maintaining sustainability, Astrotourism can be used to achieve sustainability. Sustainability can be put under the umbrella of Maqasid Syariah and halal tourism. It is thus of utmost importance to demonstrate the unique capabilities of Malaysia as a viable Astrotourism attraction and how it can help achieve the goal of sustainability, both of which are the objectives of this research. Two methods are employed in this study; the first is to identify potential Astrotourism sites using the dark sky database, light pollution mapping and Garstang formulation of light pollution. The second method is comprised of identifying the cultivating elements of sustainability. Through this method, three potential Astrotourism sites could enhance the notion of sustainability, including sustainability from the economic, wellbeing and biodiversity aspects and, more importantly, sustainability towards the holistic practice of Islam. This demonstrates the encompassing benefit of Astrotourism towards sustainability and its development potential in Malaysia.
... In politics discipline we find the works of Ribeiro, et.al [5], Saunders and Stephens [6], Wilmsen [7], Lestrelin [8]. In religious discipline, there are works by Grine et al. [9], Abdulrachman [10], Usman [11], Adebayo [12], Narayanan [13], Hossain [14]. In planning there are works by Roberts and Roger [15], Berke and Conroy [16], Sowman and Brown [17], Polk [18], Nolon and Salkin [19], Jun and Conroy [20], Collia and March [21], Williams [22], Filion et al. [23], and et cetera. ...
... Two patterns are found to have emerged. Firstly, An injection spiritual development as a pillar of sustainable development [10,13]. Secondly, Islamic value for sustainable development is mentioned in every pillar [35][36]. ...
Indonesia is a country that has a great concern over achievement of SDGs 2030 global agendas. As a big country in terms of population and area, but unfortunately has the most population of lower-middle income, it would be very interesting to examine the process and substance of sustainable development planning in Indonesia. This study uses two methods, i.e., content analysis towards medium-term planning and interview with the planners. Result of Mid-Term Development Plan (RJPMN) 2010-2014, RPJMN 2015-2019 and Action Plan for SDGs Achievement review show that Indonesia applies strategic planning approach as its framework planning of sustainable development which started with the formulation of sustainable development strategic issues, a mission statement, strategies, programs, action plans, targets, and indicators of achievement. This approach has not been reliable yet to address the challenges of interrelated sustainable development. Although the result of interview informs that Indonesian government strives to keep improving the planning process through the increasing involvement and participation of development stakeholders, a paradigm shift is still required to answer all challenges of sustainable development by performing more intensive education.
... Yet, many extinct and near-extinct organisms and other natural resources (e.g., marine life, mineral resources, and ariel creatures) have been saved and preserved without any human effort or intervention. This has led some scholars to argue that the earth and its natural resources are largely sustained by some form of divine intervention or divine providence which may or may not be visible to human beings (Narayanan, 2013;Gas-Aixendri and Albareda-Tiana, 2019). This view is reflected in the divine intervention and providence theory of sustainable development which is also known as the 'God' theory of sustainable development. ...
This article presents new theories of sustainable development. The need for new theories of sustainable development arises from the need to explain the attitudes and various dispositions towards the sustainable development agenda. Five theories of sustainable development are presented, namely, the extinction avoidance theory of sustainable development, the collective stewardship theory of sustainable development, the rogue agent theory of sustainable development, the divine intervention and providence theory of sustainable development, and the resource-resilient world theory of sustainable development. These theories articulate the unspoken philosophy or paradigms regarding the need for sustainable development and who should be responsible for achieving sustainable development. These unspoken philosophy or paradigms have the power to move people to take action towards sustainable development or to do nothing about it, or to oppose the sustainable development agenda. Scholars, policy makers and researchers will find these theories useful in their work in sustainable development.
... By contributing to the success of agendas for the benefit of people and the planet by eradicating poverty, fighting inequality, promoting human rights and protecting the environment. According to (Narayanan, 2013), the role of religion is can be included in achieving economic sustainability. His three ways religion can contribute to food security are through Islamic values, the environment society, the potential for political action, and the self-development capacity of stakeholders. ...
Food is a basic human need that must be fulfilled at any time and plays many important roles in the life of a nation. A nation's capacity to sustain the economic existence of global dynamics can be attributed to the availability of food that can be obtained by many stakeholders. This paper aims to provide a model of food security through Islamic philanthropy with the Quadruple Helix approach, which is the connection between academia, business, the government and the community,which coordinating well with the other. This paper is a qualitativestudy with the method used was literatureresearchthrough a systematic review approach. The findings of this study provided the result that food self-sufficiency cannot be realized without the role of quality and productivity at the core of food self-sufficiency; thus, the government must take a stand and fully support it. Academics had a significant part in the advancement of technology and effective food processing. The businesses had an equally critical role in supplying financing for industrial growth and creating jobs for the local population. In addition, the government, business and community could assist aid in the development and attainment of food self-sufficiency by creating fuctional food systems that will be possible to implement more suitable policies in the context of achieving food self-sufficiency.Keyword: Food Security, Islamic Philanthrophy, Quadruple Helix, Sustainable Development
... A variable is said to be reliable if it gives a Cronbach's Alpha value > 0.60. Belief and religion are very important factors in determining human nature and behaviour (Grine, Bensaid, Nor, & Ladjal, 2013), and these behaviours continue to develop and form a community mindset both constructively and destructively (Narayanan, 2013). Basically, religion has a good role in determining economic sustainability by encouraging economic development through a commitment to protect and preserve ecology (Ari & Koc, 2021). ...
Sustainable finance is one way to realize a new paradigm of sustainable development that incorporates social and environmental issues into economic calculations. However, in its implementation, each country faces different challenges in making and implementing policies to support sustainable finance. This study will analyze the public perception of Muslim-majority and Muslim-minority countries towards the implementation of sustainable finance in their respective countries and then analyze the stages of implementing sustainable finance. To analyze the level of implementation of sustainable finance, this study uses the concept of Attention-Interest-Desire-Action (AIDA). To collect data about the object of research using the methods of content analysis and field studies. Content analysis is all the efforts made by researchers in gathering information relevant to documents that explain the background of the existence of sustainable finance and its implementation in several countries. The field study is used to collect primary data regarding perceptions related to the context of sustainable finance, which can be used to determine the proportion of activities that substantially contribute to environmental objectives (climate change mitigation and adaptation efforts). Research results show that there is no difference in the views of respondents as development stakeholders regarding the implementation of sustainable finance in both Muslim-majority and minority countries. The majority of the two categories of country groups are still at the interest stage, reflected in high scores in normative statements and low scores in positive statements that describe real activities in running a sustainable finance system.
... Social development enables the poor to take action to improve their productivity and ensure equity (Kumar, 2017;Jiang et al., 2018). Religion promotes economic sustainability through its values, ecological consciousness, social and political activism (based on those values), and self-development (Narayanan, 2013). This aligns with the findings regarding economic sustainability (Hossain, 2014;Dariah et al., 2016;Moi et al., 2016). ...
IntroductionJavanese culture was considered rich of values that are in line with Islamic teachings. However, studies on how this culture can contribute to development in Islamic perspective are still limited.Objectives
This study analyzes the local wisdom values in Javanses culture that support economic development from an Islamic perspective. The studied values are contained in the traditions of merti dusun, nyadran, and wiwitan. Method
This study using an ethnographic approach with focus is on three villages in Bantul, Yogyakarta. Interviews, observation, field notes were used to gather data. Three phases were used to complete the analysis: data reduction, reporting, and conclusion-making. ResultsThe findings demonstrate that each ritual in this tradition is infused with religious and social ideals, as well as cooperation, environmental stewardship, responsibility, patience, harmony, and deliberation. It also demonstrates wisdom and social control. ImplicationsThree traditions' emphasis on tolerance should be promoted to help people in their particular communities develop a greater sense of empathy for one another, fostering harmony and peace.Originality/NoveltyThis study highlights unique aspect of development that encompass Javanese culture and Islamic teachings.
... Although often overlooked in the past, there is growing recognition that religion is integral to environmental sustainability and has significant roles to play, whether for better or worse, in addressing the twin Anthropocene challenges of biodiversity loss and climate change [1][2][3][4]. As an integral aspect of culture, society, and identity, religion plays important roles in shaping values, beliefs, attitudes, norms, and behaviors, including with respect to how the majority of people around the world perceive and relate to each other and the environment [2,3,5]. ...
Mobilizing communities for environmental sustainability often involves engaging with religious values and beliefs, which can exert powerful influences on the attitudes, norms, and behaviors of the majority of people worldwide. Christianity is the largest world religion and, in some contexts, has also been among the most skeptical of climate and environmental concerns. A popular explanation for this skepticism focuses on eschatological views (i.e., end time beliefs) and posits that if the earth is going to be destroyed someday, there is little point in conserving it now. Empirical evidence is lacking, however, on the extent to which such beliefs actually influence environmental attitudes. We surveyed Christian undergraduate students in the US (N = 1520) and found that belief in the imminent return of Jesus Christ was not significantly associated with variables tested regarding biodiversity loss or climate change. Furthermore, a plurality responded that the earth will be renewed at the end (43%), not destroyed (24%), and beliefs about the fate of the earth were generally not related to attitudinal measures—except for a slim minority of respondents with strongest views that the earth will be destroyed—but were significantly associated with political ideology and literalist views of Scripture. These findings suggest that end time views may not be a major obstacle—at least among younger American Christians—to promoting socio-ecological sustainability.
... Islam places great importance on the moral, environmental and social dimension, whereas there are several Quranic verses to define and compliment the environment and encourage people to look after it Narayanan (2013) state that religion plays a role in achieving economic sustainability. The three ways in which religion may play a role in sustainable development are through the values it offers, through its potential for ecological, social, and political activism (based on those values) and through its capacity to enable self-development. ...
Islam places great importance on moral, environmental and social dimension. Sustainable development is centric to the overlapping factors both Islamic finance and Socially Responsible Investment, which are the economy, the environment and social impact. In contrary, Empirical evidence concerning ESG practice of IFIs and Sharia compliant companies is still lacking. The investment portfolio should therefore be scrutinized on the criteria of justice, social welfare and sustainability. This paper aims to identify sustainability report of Sharia Stocks companies and propose i-ESG index for sharia stocks screening in Indonesia. A qualitative study is used to describe sustainability action doing by Sharia compliant companies listed on Indeks Saham Syariah Indonesia (ISSI) in October 2019. This study found that, almost all the companies shows their Good Corporate Governance, but only a few of company have their sustainability report. Therefore a novel parameter to screen the sharia stocks screening process is urgently needed.
... Different religious traditions show different degrees of openness to technological innovations (Liu et al. 2018, Recio-Román et al. 2019 The religiosity-level of a country's population is negatively correlated with country-level innovativeness (Bénabou, Ticchi, Vindigni 2013; Affirmative use of 'religion': an attitude of (quasi-) religious or spiritual faith in innovation is conducive to firm-level innovation (Buckler, Zien 1996, Pandey 2017. The emergence of new religious movements (NRMs) can be understood in terms of religious innovation (Dawson 2006, Baffelli, Reader, Staemmler 2011 Religion can have an impact (positive or negative) on innovation for sustainable development (Narayanan 2013, Tomalin, Haustein, Kidy 2019. ...
The chapter analyses how the vocabulary of innovation has been adopted by religion researchers and scholars to describe transformations in the religious domain, such as the formation of new religious movements and ways in which religion has proved resilient to large-scale modernization processes. A heuristic distinction between three dimensions of the interrelations between religion and innovation is proposed: (a) innovation in religion, (b) religion in innovation, (c) religion of innovation. Combining this three-fold distinction with an analysis of the normative presuppositions of innovation-speak, the chapter concludes with a discussion of the idea of a general theory of religion and innovation, as well as suggestions for future research.
... One noticeable research by World Bank officials Narayan-Parker and Pritchett (1997) on social capital in Tanzania revealed that villages with high levels of networks and trust tend to communicate and cooperate easily, which result in poverty reduction and economic gains such as protecting common resources, resources mobilizations, information sharing, and reducing transaction cost. In addition, the positive influences of the social capital theory have been signified empirically in a broad range of development study topics and have been identified by scholars that communities that are enriched with different stocks of social networks and community relations are stronger to tackle poverty and vulnerability (Aldrich & Meyer, 2015;Narayanan, 2013;Sakai & Fauzia, 2014). ...
This paper analyzes and uses the National Solidarity Program (NSP) Afghanistan as a case study to question the idea of social capital building for poverty reduction. Specifically, it explores how development policy has been decoupled from its intended objectives as it hit the existing friction in the ground. The data draws from poor household experience in three different provinces of Afghanistan to assess how poor household is integrated into NSP and how existing social structure and relational dynamics shape the NSP outcomes. The finding reveals that household is experiencing a cluster of interlink disadvantages that make it impossible for them to draw on social capital to reduce their poverty. However, NSP failed to eliminate the asymmetrical relations which created poverty in rural society; instead, it boosted Neopatrimonialism culture.
... One noticeable research by World Bank officials Narayan-Parker and Pritchett (1997) on social capital in Tanzania revealed that villages with high levels of networks and trust tend to communicate and cooperate easily, which result in poverty reduction and economic gains such as protecting common resources, resources mobilizations, information sharing, and reducing transaction cost. In addition, the positive influences of the social capital theory have been signified empirically in a broad range of development study topics and have been identified by scholars that communities that are enriched with different stocks of social networks and community relations are stronger to tackle poverty and vulnerability (Aldrich & Meyer, 2015;Narayanan, 2013;Sakai & Fauzia, 2014). ...
This paper analyzes and uses the National Solidarity Program (NSP) Afghanistan as a case study to question the idea of social capital building for poverty reduction. Specifically, it explores how development policy has been decoupled from its intended objectives as it hit the existing friction in the ground. The data draws from poor household experience in three different provinces of Afghanistan to assess how poor household is integrated into NSP and how existing social structure and relational dynamics shape the NSP outcomes. The finding reveals that household is experiencing a cluster of interlink disadvantages that make it impossible for them to draw on social capital to reduce their poverty. However, NSP failed to eliminate the asymmetrical relations which created poverty in rural society; instead, it boosted Neopatrimonialism culture.
... One noticeable research by World Bank officials Narayan-Parker and Pritchett (1997) on social capital in Tanzania revealed that villages with high levels of networks and trust tend to communicate and cooperate easily, which result in poverty reduction and economic gains such as protecting common resources, resources mobilizations, information sharing, and reducing transaction cost. In addition, the positive influences of the social capital theory have been signified empirically in a broad range of development study topics and have been identified by scholars that communities that are enriched with different stocks of social networks and community relations are stronger to tackle poverty and vulnerability (Aldrich & Meyer, 2015;Narayanan, 2013;Sakai & Fauzia, 2014). ...
This paper analyzes and uses the National Solidarity Program (NSP) Afghanistan as a case study to question the idea of social capital building for poverty reduction. Specifically, it explores how development policy has been decoupled from its intended objectives as it hit the existing friction in the ground. The data draws from poor household experience in three different provinces of Afghanistan to assess how poor household is integrated into NSP and how existing social structure and relational dynamics shape the NSP outcomes. The finding reveals that household is experiencing a cluster of interlink disadvantages that make it impossible for them to draw on social capital to reduce their poverty. However, NSP failed to eliminate the asymmetrical relations which created poverty in rural society; instead, it boosted Neopatrimonialism culture.
... Especially in countries like India, where religion plays a dominant role in the lives of a majority of the citizens, not engaging with FBOs will leave out some of the greatest potential allies. There is evidence of the eff ectiveness of this approach in achieving progress in other social issues, including joint eff orts between UNICEF, UNAIDS, and Mumbai-based FBOs to promote HIV/ AIDS prevention, disaster relief, and other initiatives (Narayanan, 2013). FBOs also represent a sizable number of experts and experienced community workers, receive substantial funding from followers, and have a vast infrastructure embedded within almost every community in India. ...
This one-of-a-kind report explains, through multiple means and across different spheres, the need to engage and empower men and boys to critically evaluate national, regional and local norms of masculinities and challenge negative gender stereotypes and behaviours. The report also outlines how such a positive transformation will help stakeholders from the civil society, government, academia, and others, in addressing myths and misconceptions surrounding the diff erent notions of masculinity, paving the way for societies to achieve peace and sustainable development, with gender equality as a core principle. This analysis and the resulting recommendations focused on India are expected to provide a valuable an important reference on this issue for the region and globally... LINK: https://unesdoc.unesco.org/ark:/48223/pf0000377859.locale=en...
Imprint: UNESCO New Delhi, 2021...
Licence type: CC BY-SA 3.0 IGO...
Country of publication: India...
This publication is available in Open Access under the Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 IGO (CC-BY-SA 3.0 IGO) license (http://creativecommons. org/licenses/by-sa/3.0/igo/).
... Religion can also influence people to adopt more sustainable practices ( Narayanan, 2013 ;Minton, Kahle & Kim, 2015 ), this being mainly a question of environmental protection. The religion predictor was mentioned by several farmers (F1, F2, F3, F7, F13, F14 and F21). ...
This study aims to understand Brazilian family farmers’ perception of sustainable development in agriculture, its antecedents, barriers and consequences. To do so, qualitative, exploratory research was adopted, interviewing 23 farmers. For data collection, an interview script was elaborated followed by content analysis. The results showed that farmers perceived sustainable development in agriculture from 25 definitions. The study identified 19 antecedents of sustainability in agriculture; 20 barriers hindering sustainable development in agriculture; and 14 consequences of more sustainable agriculture. This research contributes to in-depth reflection about the meaning of sustainable development in agriculture, associated with its antecedents, barriers and consequences for agriculture. The results reinforce that conceptualizing and understanding what sustainable development is, is a process and this concept can vary from one context to another. This study aimed specifically to examine Brazilian family farming from the perspective of sustainability.
... This makes them superior agents in advocating for sustainable development as expounded by Palmer and Finlay (2003). Narayanan (2013) pushes the debate of religion and development further by arguing that religious contributions in sustainable development should be viewed both in terms of its constructive and destructive potential. He argues that, through its values, its social and ecological activism and its impact on individual's self-development, religion should not be overlooked in the discussion about development, planning and policy formulation. ...
With an unprecedented increase in urbanization, urban sprawl is seen as arguably the single biggest threat to the biodiversity of cities and regions by supporting an increasingly high dependency on fossil fuel consumption. However, while the topic of urban sprawl has been widely documented through sciences such as urban planning, ecology, environment, infrastructure, and others, there have been little, to no literature on the correlation between urban morphology and the sociological and religious viewpoints of individual housing units; making the grounds for sprawl. This perspective chapter puts forth the argument that religious matrimony contributes largely to Urban Sprawl through the contemporary dogma of monogamy and nuclear family as being basic social units. In this essence, it highlights unsustainable a fundamental land-use policy fuelled largely by religious practices. While the author does not dispute religious claims, the chapter supports that the sustainability of cities need to be reviewed and questioned through equal terms in religious belief systems; which impact on both urban morphology and society. This chapter is aimed towards urban theorists, anthropologists, and sociologists.
... Interestingly, despite the reign of religion for over thousands of years, its influence is decreasing as people call for the contextualization of religious texts and decree that have influenced the states and societies (Pew Research Center 2015). From the peoples' perspective, those principles are no longer relevant to address present time issues, especially noting that numerous changes like the use of technologies, change in the environment, land use, government and leadership styles and the role of education in the society among many other things (Pew Research Centre 2015;Narayanan 2013;Rakodi 2012). One of the areas where religious influence and dictate is seen to be no longer tenable is in the leadership front where, in most countries, it was illegal for people like women, people with disabilities and those from a different religious group to be seen in a position of power and influence (Haynes 2017). ...
Religious influences on urbanism are not only manifested through how places of worship have shaped cities across time but also encompass sociological, cultural, and political dimensions. This is witnessed through the grand monuments that stood the test of time, or through how the relationship of religion and politics has had a long story. Even though modern society is more educated, the role of religion is still having an impact on contemporary urban form and on society at large. This chapter explores how this phenomenon occurs in the discourse of increasing urbanization coupled with the impacts of climate change. In view of the challenges faced by cities, this chapter further ponders if religious dogmas are still applicable and current, and thus serving society just as well as religious bodies.
... In order to gravitate towards true sustainable development, humanitarian operations and ecological preservation are the main cornerstones (Narayanan, 2013). Yet, the ES-HL nexus has been loosely addressed in previous research and practice. ...
In spite of strong commitment of humanitarian and development communities with the protection of our planet, expressed through the Sustainable Development Goals in the Agenda 2030, environmental sustainability still remains an overlooked aspect in humanitarian supply chains (HSCs). Using a collaborative mixed‐methods research with an international humanitarian organization, this paper sheds light on the causes of unsustainable operations in HSCs and investigates the impact of regional hubs on the environmental sustainability. First, an in‐depth focus group was conducted involving the organization's employees and the research team to identify the main causes contributing to unsustainable HSC in the organization. Five categories of causes were identified, namely, supply chain configuration (SCC), transportation, donors, material and waste, and humanitarian specificities. Then, based on respondents' prioritization, SCC was selected as the most important category. Carbon footprinting for three SCC scenarios was conducted: the current SCC and two conceptual SCC with two hubs in East and West Africa with different replenishment windows. The results reveal that the SCCs with hubs outperform the current SCC in terms of carbon footprint. Finally, the challenges of implementing the conceptual SCCs and possible solutions to address them were discussed through follow‐up individual interviews.
... The morality associated with sustainability development is likely to be a factor in religious institutions' basic beliefs, values, and aspirations, especially as sustainability continues to grow in its link to social justice. Previous research has described religion as having a substantial interest in sustainable development since the concept's inception (Narayanan, 2013). ...
This paper examines the relationship between university mission statements and sustainability practices by institutions of higher education. We examine mission statement constructs and the degree to which higher educational institutions meet specific sustainability criteria in line with the College Sustainability Report Card. Our sample consists of 347 universities from the Sustainable Endowment Institute's (2011) Green Report Card. Previous research suggests that mission statements are essential for superior organizational performance outcomes. We examine the relationship between university mission statement content and sustainability practices. Findings indicate that the greater the number of specific terms used in the university mission statements, the higher the statistical likelihood that those universities had higher sustainability ratings. Findings also indicate that private institutions and nonreligious‐affiliated institutions are more likely to include sustainability constructs in their mission statements than colleges and universities with religious affiliation and public institutions. Several propositions to guide future research are discussed.
Purpose
This paper empirically analyses the nexus between religiosity, corruption and sustainable development across 52 countries.
Design/methodology/approach
The data were retrieved from the World Value Survey (WVS) for religiosity and corruption, and the Sustainable Development Index (SDI) proposed by Hickel (2020) has been used for the analysis. Partial least squares – structural equation modelling (PLS-SEM) has been used to analyse the data and evaluate the research hypotheses.
Findings
The PLS-SEM analysis depicts a positive and significant impact of religiosity on corruption, implying that countries with high religiosity are likely to have high levels of corruption. However, religiosity has a significant and negative impact on the sustainable development index. Similarly, corruption also negatively and significantly impacts sustainable development across countries.
Practical implications
The study results provide insights on considering religiosity while devising a policy for anti-corruption and sustainable development that covers social, economic and ecological dimensions.
Originality/value
This study provides empirical knowledge by considering religiosity, corruption and sustainable development together.
Peer review
The peer review history for this article is available at: https://publons.com/publon/10.1108/IJSE-01-2025-0083
This study explores: a) what is being done by religions present in Catalonia (Spain) to address climate change; b) what the worldviews of the different religions are with regard to climate change, and, c) if commonalities exist between religions, which elements they have in common when addressing climate change. We focus on SDG 12 (sustainable consumption) and 13 (climate action), two of the 17 global goals that represent an urgent call for action. We employ a qualitative phenomenological methodology involving discussion groups of fourteen different religions present in Catalonia. The results show that the religions implement good practices that contribute to climate action, and all of them have laid down principles to take care of the planet. All groups hold that a change in values is required to address the climate crisis, and translate it into action. Moreover, a clear intention to establish interfaith partnerships for climate action is observed.
Most people in the world adhere to a religion, which emphasizes flourishing for self, family, and community. However, many religions focus solely on spiritual aspects, neglecting physical components like work and the environment. Because of this, religion has had minimal impact on global development goals. There is a great opportunity for religions to call upon their members to work with excellence and integrity and integrate their faith in their work, yet the role of religion in fulfilling the SDG goals is minimal at best. Despite women comprising nearly half the world's population, their contribution to business has been limited. Women are capable business owners with a tendency to prioritize people over profit. In this chapter, the role of women and religion will be assessed in the light of Christian churches who took on workplace discipleship and the observed. The findings show that when religion takes on workplace discipleship, teaching wealth creation and wealth management in God's way benefits individuals, families, faith gatherings, the community, and the nation.
Historically, academic debates on the sustainable development discourse have tended to sideline the influence of religion faith traditions. However, in the last two decades, with the growing instability in the social, economic, and environmental realms of the global economy, there has been intensive search for new paradigms and frameworks to guide human understanding of the interrelationship between human well-being and environmental protection and foster new forms of environmental activism at the ground level. This work intends to contribute to this emerging area of research by presenting how faith traditions can help to provide alternative explanations to deal with contemporary environmental challenges by creating alternative models of production and consumption in society, as well as providing individual motivation for pro-environmental behaviors. The chapters presented in this edited volume weave together the economic, ethical, cultural, and societal dimensions of varied Eastern and Western faith traditions and discusses their applicability to contemporary environmental problems. The work presents three main pathways through which faith-based traditions can help in steering mainstream sustainable development discourses in a new direction – promotion of ethical values, fostering new forms of ecological activism, and inculcating pro-environmental behaviors. The introductory chapter presents an analytical basis for understanding the causes behind sustainability challenges from a faith-based perspective and how these would lead to alternative adaptation and mitigation policies, discussed in the subsequent chapters.
Religion and sustainability initiatives have been at the forefront of academic debates with a number of differing perspectives. This chapter contributes to this emerging body of research and proposes a “collective sustainability framework”, drawn from the Bahá’í Faith. This framework enables an effective integration of various stakeholders, which benefits both the environment and the society at large, based on the scriptures of the Bahá’í Faith and practices of the Bahá’í community. Such a sustainability framework is built on the principles of justice for all, unity in diversity, unity between science and religion, high station of work, and cessation of war expenditure. The chapter concludes by proposing that such a collective sustainability framework can develop through a “value intersubjectivity” approach, to reflect the context and the environment it applies to. It can be employed in sustainability agendas as well as in organizational policy decisions and sustainability initiatives.
Religion has been presented as a critical resource in both discourses on peacebuilding and development. However, as conflicts increase worldwide, the ambivalence of religion in peacebuilding has started to receive more attention, more importantly in relation to how this impedes the development agenda. For example, development actors are conscious of the fact that development takes place in a context where peace thrives. For quite a long time, an uncritical eye was paid to the significance of religion both in peacebuilding and development discourses. Religion was perceived as private practice which could not influence the public sphere. However, actors in both fields have come to realise how religion can be either a stabilising or a destabilising force for both peacebuilding and development. It becomes even more problematic to bring together the three largely independent but interdependent concepts. The purpose of this chapter, therefore, is to unpack the challenges at the intersection of religion, peacebuilding and development. The focus of the chapter is on how the three concepts influence each other and the challenges encountered thereof. It is incumbent upon this chapter to establish how these challenges may affect the realisation of the laid down Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). This is largely desktop research which draws its data from global contexts and more specifically, African experiences.
The importance of environmental sustainability especially in Africa cannot be overemphasised since the environment provides her economic and religious needs. It is based on this reason that this qualitative study was designed to investigate the traditional belief systems used in preserving the environment in Bayelsa state using Sagbama as a case study. The Cultural Ecology Theory postulated by Julian Steward served as the theoretical framework for this study. This study using purposive and snowball sampling techniques sampled a total of 20 persons from three selected communities in Sagbama LGA, namely: Ogobiri from the Mein clan, Tungbo from the Tungbo-Ebe clan, and Bulu-Orua from the Tarakiri clan. Primary data for this study was gathered through the use of an in-depth interview (IDI) structured based on the research objectives, while data analysis was done using thematic content analysis. Findings from the study indicated that the most prevailing belief systems concerning the environment are relative to lakes, forests, and animals (Akpolokia, Imbiete, and Oka). Also, belief systems regarding lakes, forests, and animals have aided in the sustainability of the environment through the use of various taboos and restrictions. It is, therefore, recommended that there is a need for the revitalisation of healthy traditional belief systems and cultural practices that promote the management, preservation, and conservation of natural resources for environmental sustainability.
In the beginning of the twenty first century, Dubai entered an accelerated era of urban development with the arrival of mega real estate developers transforming the city’s built environment with the construction of large-scale projects under the pretext of improving the quality of life of the emirate’s inhabitants as a mean to market these developments.Mega-developers, aiming at encouraging consumers to visit and spend in their developments, conceived private spaces open to a selected public as if they were providing both indoor and outdoor public spaces for the city’s mostly expatriated population. As a result, Dubai has transformed into an easily readable object of consumption.These developments have a considerable impact on local social practices. In fact, they are commercially successful and attract a large number of visitors, especially young Emirati women, offering them the space to meet, consume and use as a workaround to emancipate from their social, cultural and religious barriers, and that under the umbrella of consumption. These privately owned public spaces became the place for the Emirati population to meet the other (gender and race) and at the same time to confirm its belonging to a specific community.By doing so, mega-developers are transforming the city into a brand. This process is in direct relation with consumption, which largely satisfies the developers and their commercial objectives on the one hand, but on the other, suits the local ruling elite, as this transformation ensures the diversion of the emirate’s both local and migrant population from its socio-political arena.By shaping the city’s urban development, mega-developers crown themselves as responsible of translating the Ruler’s vision. As their only guidance, this vision is interpretated differently each time to suit the nature and needs of each project. And in the absence of a proper urban planning system, mega-developers don’t seek financial and regulatory incentives when designing their projects as their strong political position enables them to dictate the rules over the city’s traditional planning authorities who must adapt to and follow.Likewise, these mega-developers’ projects use excessive architecture symbolism in an attempt to shape the city’s identity that, however, remains inherently absent. These projects are conceived and delivered without considering the existing public realm and local context. The overall process involves the mobility of star-architects and transnational design firms, who import their foreign and exotic expertise along with ready-made design solutions that are implemented across the city, resulting in the quasi-absence of the religious aspect in a city (and country) where religion occupies a primordial place.
The purpose of this study was to answer public concerns about the impact of pornographic content accessed via the internet on high school students. This study describes how children can access, the reasons for accessing it and the consequences of access. The method used is descriptive quantitative by exploring pornographic behavior. The data collection technique was carried out by distributing questionnaires and deepening them by interviewing several students. Data collection involved 718 high school students as respondents from four cities namely Bandung, Pekanbaru, Denpasar, and Yogyakarta. The results showed that students who had been exposed to pornography reached 96.1 percent and most of them looked through cellphones. The result of frequent viewing of pornographic content is feeling anxious, fantasizing frequently, decreased learning achievement, viewing addiction, porn addiction, aggressive or angry, dirty talk, wanting to have sex, and some even having free sex. students can be exposed to pornography from the age of 10, which they mostly see when they are in their own homes. This condition is due to the lack of parental supervision of internet use. They are physically close to parents, but the internet can browse indefinitely and separate communication between children and parents.
This study aims to identify the variables measuring the sustainable development in agriculture, its antecedents, barriers and consequences, confirming its factors and testing the relations between them. Having in mind these aims, the research was conducted through three phases. In phase 1, qualitative research was adopted, holding 23 semi-structured interviews with family farmers. Phase 2 and 3 used quantitative research with, respectively, 220 and 219 family farmers. In phase 1, it was possible to verify that sustainable development in agriculture, its antecedents, barriers and consequences. In phase 2, the factors were identified as follows: perception of the sustainable development in agriculture (natural agriculture; innovation and technology; environmental aspects), antecedents (external influences; engagement with sustainability; concern about future generations; environmental motivators; and individual characteristics), barriers (lack of information and knowledge; lack of planning and support), and consequences (socio-environmental benefits; subjective well-being). The results of the structural model demonstrate that the predictors external influences and engagement with sustainability influenced the family farmers’ perception of what sustainable development in agriculture is. The barriers construct (lack of information and knowledge; lack of planning and support) moderate the relationship between external influences and how sustainable development in agriculture is perceived. The constructs of social benefits and feeling of subjective well-being were perceived as consequences of sustainable development in agriculture. This research can be considered innovative by using mixed research methods, in an integrated way, proposing and testing a theoretical model about sustainable development in a family farm context.
Bhutan is the only country that has implemented a nationwide capture-neuter- vaccinate-release (CNVR) program to manage its street dog population. To explore motivations for the implementation of the program and the extent to which it is successful, face-to-face interviews were conducted with representatives of all three animal sanctuaries in Bhutan that focus on the well-being of street dogs. Results suggest that Bhutan’s transition to democracy, coinciding with increases in socioeconomic development and tourism from the West, and incorporation of Buddhist teachings in its consideration of street dog management strategies guided the implementation of a nationwide CNVR program. A lack of both resources and a plan to acquire them, along with inexperience with democratic practices, however, may interfere with successful management of the program, resulting in a growing street dog population. Development in Bhutan also poses risks to the well-being of street dogs.
This research aims to identify the factors measuring sustainable development in agriculture, its antecedents, barriers and consequences. To do so, first a literature review and qualitative research (involving 23 interviews) led to developing a questionnaire, which was then validated. Next, quantitative research involved collecting data from 220 family farmers in Brazil, and exploratory factor analysis was performed. This made it possible to understand how Brazilian family farmers perceived sustainable development in agriculture. This can be measured by 25 variables and 3 factors: natural agriculture; innovation and technology; and environmental aspects. The antecedents (predictors) of sustainable development in agriculture were grouped in 5 factors: external influencers; engagement with sustainability; concern about future generations; environmental motivators; and individual characteristics. Two factors (lack of information and knowledge; and lack of planning and support), defined the barriers to sustainable development in agriculture. Socio-environmental benefits and subjective well-being were the two factors measuring the consequences of that development. This article contributes to identifying the factors underlying sustainable development in agriculture, the antecedents, barriers and consequences of that sustainability, something as yet not identified in the literature on this subject, which indicates the innovation and originality of the study.
Much academic writing on religion and development tends to focus on the values, beliefs, and modes of operation of religious organizations to examine whether religion contributes ethically to development. A problem with such an approach is its disregard of the contested and evolving nature of religious participation in development in broader national and global contexts. What constitutes ethical religious contribution to development? How can we study the question sociologically? To answer these two questions, I develop Roland Robertson’s notion of the global field to present a framework for analyzing the dynamic interaction between religion and development ethics. In terms of methodological contribution, the framework proposed here prompts us dynamically to contextualize the issue of religious development ethics with reference to four components that make up the global field: the religious agent, the national society, the global civil society, and the global discourse on wellbeing and development. This means that, from an analytical perspective, what is proper or ethical in religious development ethics should not be construed in absolute terms, but in terms of degree and variation. I demonstrate the usefulness of such a contextual approach by drawing on research on ‘GMV’ (pseudonym for an international Christian medical professional services group actively engaged in community development) in China and examining the relationship between religious NGOs, the party-state, and evolving discursive practice of development in the country.
Even though theology does provide interesting and important contributions to ethics that laid the foundation of our modern societies, this book looks at exploring how theology has impacted on urban morphology and has led to questionable unsustainable practices which impacts on both climate and societal living standards. This is seen as being accelerated with the impacts of climate change coupled with increasing urbanisation rates that stresses on contemporary notions and foundations, as initially sparked by religion. Through an argumentative style, the author sets forth to explore the ethics of religious dogmas in a rapidly urbanising world that is stressed by increasing consumption from a booming demographic.
This paper aims to suggest an integration of dimensions, especially economic, social, environmental, and politics that are embedded in Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) within a framework called Umran. This Umranic framework hails from the idea of distinguished Muslim philosopher, historian and sociologist Ibn Khaldun, that is based on Islamic doctrines. As the present integration of the dimensions seems to be problematic, an exploration into the integration within Umranic framework is believed to be potentially a contributive endeavor. Based on an overview of literatures and a content analysis, this paper found that integrating dimensions of SDGs within the Umranic framework appears in the triangle of relationship between God, humans, and environment. This triangle exists in the form of an Islamic economic system. In this system, economic activities of natural resource utilization in various types of ownership undertake the sustainability dimension, that is the environmental protection and the promotion of equitable distribution, followed by the implementation of management of ownership and distribution rights according to Islamic rules. The pre-requisite on the part of the players is the high levels of spirituality. The application of this Islamic economic system followed by its political dimension will guarantee the achievement of SDGs even though it needs adjustment to a number of SDGs’ indicators that are not in accordance to Islamic teachings.
Religion and spirituality have long played important roles in fishery systems around the world, and yet are often neglected in modern fisheries management and research. We review current literature and analyse the major small‐scale fishery on Lake Tanganyika, Africa, to highlight how religion may mediate fishing behaviours. Our study surveyed 154 fishers across 11 landing sites in Tanzania, followed by 15 semi‐structured interviews with key informants including fishery officers and local religious leaders. We identified key connections between religious beliefs/practices and fisher perceptions, behaviour and compliance with harvest restrictions and regulations. We demonstrate that better understanding and accounting for religious dimensions is critical for engaging with fishery stakeholders more effectively and managing global fisheries more sustainably.
Rather than speculating about the relationship between poverty and religion or making use of anecdotal knowledge, it seems to be a more transparent way to make use of empirical evidence and the empirically obtained insights into the relationship between religion and poverty. Of particular interest is the role of religious institutions and religious beliefs in poverty reduction efforts. One systematic way to explore empirical findings is the use of a specific database, namely the database of the Abdul Jameel Poverty Action Lab—this is the premier institution for empirical and policy-oriented poverty research, committed to the “gold standard” of recent poverty research, Randomized Controlled Trials (RCTs). The database of the Jameel PAL rendered 14 studies (with a total of 18 research papers). Some of them were not sufficiently relevant for the topic; as such, in this study 11 of these studies are considered and the key findings of them are reconstructed insofar as they relate to the link between religion and poverty. This will be my first step. In a second step this paper offers some comments based on these studies and look at the relationship between religion and poverty more broadly; finally, some conclusions for poverty alleviation are presented.
There is very little scientific literature that considers the relationship between religions and an integral concept of Sustainable Development, including its three dimensions (social, economic and environmental), as proposed in the UN Sustainable Development Goals. It was necessary to conduct a study of this kind, with the aim of making visible and show with concrete data, the contribution of religions to the integral sustainability.
This paper presents an empirical research in which we intend to make visible the actions performed by religious organizations in Catalonia, that have been contributing to the Sustainable Development. The study is the launching of the Sustainability and Religions Watch.
This study about the contribution of religious organizations to the Sustainable Development has been made by a mixed method with two techniques for data collection: firstly, has counted the presence of indicators linked to the priority areas of Sustainable Development, from the analysis of the content of the websites of religious organizations (quantitative analysis). Moreover, semi-structured in-depth interviews were conducted to representatives of religious organizations (qualitative analysis).
The study of the contribution of religions to the Sustainable Development opens new doors to interfaith dialogue because it is based on elements that are common between different beliefs. This dialogue is a path that can effectively contribute to peace.
Nowadays the issue of sustainable development are being discussed seriously around the world. This is because to ensure that the need for the future generation is not neglected during the process development of economics. Therefore, this paper attempts to re-look the role of Islamic's element in the sustainable development. This paper using qualitative research as a method of this study. The researchers suggest that the element of Islam must be consider as one of the element to measure the sustainable development.
Purpose
Faith-based organisations (FBOs) and secular NGOs provide important services to victims of trafficking, exploitation, and those involved in sex work, yet comparative analysis of their approaches to care has lacked attention in the literature. The purpose of this paper is to examine these two types of organisations, exploring the extent to which faith influences the ways FBOs work with their clients.
Design/methodology/approach
In total, 41 interviews were conducted with leaders of 13 Christian FBOs and 12 secular NGOs in Cambodia, and organisational mission statements were reviewed. An input-output conceptual model was used as a framework to gather and analyse data.
Findings
While all FBOs maintained a high regard for their clients’ spiritual needs and operated with a faith-related approach to care, secular NGOs also, at times, included culturally embedded religious elements into their programming. The nature of FBOs’ faith-related programming, however, clearly distinguished these organisations from their secular counterparts. Despite such distinctions, similarities were maintained among both types of organisations in the behavioural or recovery outcomes they sought in their clients.
Research limitations/implications
Limitations include the study’s focus on organisations that serve a specific clientele in one development context. Research implications include the study pointing to the necessity of acknowledging the development context as critical to the ways in which religion may or may not influence the approaches to care of both FBOs and secular NGOs. The paper also contributes insight into the relationship between the non-resource input of faith, and services provided by FBOs.
Practical implications
Given that both types of organisations sought change in their clients, practitioners should ensure that their organisational approaches to care are conducive to the outcomes they seek. Though organisational policy may stipulate that clients are free to choose whether or not to participate in faith-related programming, FBOs should always ensure a care environment in which clients feel free not to participate in such programming.
Originality/value
Though FBOs and secular NGOs sought many similar behavioural or recovery outcomes from their clients, the development context in which these organisations worked – unlike some other contexts – and the role of faith “infusing” FBOs, led to clear, observable differences in their approaches to care. The study highlights the importance of taking into account these factors when seeking to decipher differences that may or may not exist between faith-based and secular non-state social policy actors.
This article endeavours to evidence the extraordinary rise of religion and development as a subject field by presenting a chronological bibliography of the literature that has been published, especially since the early to mid-2000s. By way of introduction and orientation, the authors firstly touch upon existing explanations for the extraordinary new interest in religion and development as a subject field; secondly they comment briefly on the ongoing scholarly endeavour to develop the subject field; and thirdly provide a more pertinent statement about the meaning and purpose of compiling the bibliography and the selection criterion applied towards this endeavour. It is argued that the bibliography constitutes a comprehensive resource that could strengthen and inform ongoing research in the subject field across topical issues and themes, from a religious, social science and theological perspective.
The nexus between religion and development is now well recognized in scholarship but the implications for development policies are relatively unexplored. The challenge with analysing religion as a policy construct is to ensure that its rich anthropological dimensions are not lost, but rather that these inform the conception and implementation of development planning, especially in diverse, multireligious societies. The aim of this special issue is to unpack the complex anthropological, sociological and even theological dimensions of religion that can enable development policymakers to identify the ways in which religion shapes the society, the environment and the economy. Therein also lie the opportunities to articulate policies that are truly responsive to serious structural issues of inequalities and oppressions. The authors address five foci that are central to sustainable development policymaking – urbanization and spatial equality; gender justice; environment and human/animal tensions; economic growth; and postsecularity and governance. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
To date, the literature on ‘gender and development’ has remained largely sequestered from that on ‘religion and development’, and consequently the presence of conceptual problems common to the two fields has gone largely unremarked. This paper identifies three such conceptual problems, here termed categorization, identification and representation. The oversight of common conceptual problems has important implications for the assessment of religion and gender in sustainable development policy. One such effect, I argue, is the consolidation of a narrow range of negative and secularist readings of the potential role of gender and religion in sustainable development. To circumvent conceptualizations that may give rise to prejudicial readings of gender and religion, this paper follows feminist and religious studies scholars in arguing that we conceive of gender and religion as permeable categories and non-exclusive identities, constituted by diverse discursive elements. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
Outdoor adventure and other recreational practices can express, evoke, and reinforce religious perceptions and orientations to natural and social worlds. Some participants in them understand nature itself to be sacred in some way and believe that facilitating human connections to nature is the most important aspect of their chosen practice. Such activities can be construed by scholars as "nature religion," and profitably analyzed by comparing characteristics commonly associated with religion to the beliefs and practices of participants engaged in these activities. Here I introduce as "Aquatic Nature Religion" three case studies that explore the religious, or religion-resembling aspects, of surfing, fly fishing, and whitewater kayaking. These studies provocatively challenge conventional understandings of religion and pose anew the boundary question: Where does religion end and phenomena that are not religious begin?
The problems of urban sprawl have long been recognized. The classic response to sprawl has been compact settlements of one form or another. Yet the profession’s modern origins stem from responses to overcrowding. Relieving crowding by letting in more light and air led to less compact urban form. This paradox remains unresolved despite recent compact city, smart growth, healthy community, and new urbanist efforts. This article reviews empirical data of whether compact cities are sustainable. Then, after reviewing current debates on sprawl and the compact city, it outlines the intellectual origins of sustainability and analyzes whether its theory supports the compact city hypothesis: compact is more sustainable than sprawl. It concludes that conceiving the city in terms of form is neither necessary nor sufficient to achieve the goals ascribed to the compact city. Instead, conceiving the city in terms of process holds more promise in attaining the elusive goal of a sustainable city.
Development must be seen as a response to the total context of a given community. This response is determined by external factors ‐ the context ‐ and by internal factors, such as the world‐view, the thought structures, the pattern of meaning, and the basic religious convictions of the community. These internal factors are also influenced by the context ‐ there is a process of interaction between internal and external factors — but their effect on the context is often underestimated.Traditional African culture is deeply religious, and the central motive in this culture has often been described as the search for unity, harmony, balance, continuity, synthesis and community. The effect of this basic religious motive can be seen in the impact of group consciousness, the relation to the earth, the reaction to the Western city, and the conception of time. In each instance, it has a profound effect on African development perceptions, and it can often explain the negative response to Western culture that can be observed, for example, in many works of modem African writers.
Sustainable development depends on maintaining long-term economic, social, and environmental capital. In failing to make the best use of their female populations, most countries are underinvesting in the human capital needed to assure sustainabilitly. This market and systems failure is discussed in this publication in terms of gender constraints, which are based on the socially-constructed and historically developed roles of men and women. It also illuminates how female contributions can be better realized at present and how strategies can be developed for meeting the needs of future generations. This report is a contribution by the OECD to the UN Commission on Sustainable Development and its cross-cutting work on gender.
'This is a book I have been waiting for. . . While religion may still reside outside the mainstream of development thinking, this book makes an important and significant contribution to addressing this weakness. It enables the reader to engage in this complex field with much greater understanding and insight.'
The present study attempts to measure how individuals define the terms religiousness and spirituality, to measure how individuals define their own religiousness and spirituality, and to examine whether these definitions are associated with different demographic, religio/spiritual, and psychosocial variables. The complete sample of 346 individuals was composed of 11 groups of participants drawn from a wide range of religious backgrounds. Analyses were conducted to compare participants' self-rated religiousness and spirituality, to correlate self-rated religiousness and spirituality with the predictor variables, and to use the predictor variables to distinguish between participants who described themselves as "spiritual and religious" from those who identified themselves as "spiritual but not religious." A content analysis of participants' definitions of religiousness and spirituality was also performed. The results suggest several points of convergence and divergence between the constructs religiousness and spirituality. The theoretical, empirical, and practical implications of these results for the scientific study of religion are discussed.
In mainstream development thinking, policy, and practice, religion has generally been neglected, despite its pervasiveness and importance. As a result, analysts puzzle over how best to study the complex links between religion and development. The framework outlined in this paper addresses the question - how can the presence, nature, and activities of religious people and organisations be better understood, so that they can be taken into account in development activities? It identifies and clarifies the key concepts and factors that need to be considered, explores ideas about the relevance of religion to development and social change, identifies the broad levels of analysis needed to better understand a particular context and briefly discusses some possible methodological approaches. A series of questions for analysis are suggested, investigation of which could lead to an improved understanding of the meaning of religion in the lives of individuals; the ways in which religion interacts with social and political processes; and the nature, aims, and activities of religious organisations.
Writing on the relationships between religion and development has blossomed in the last decade or so, after years of relative neglect. Like any field of social enquiry that is both underdeveloped and closely linked to the interests of advocates and practitioners, the work available to date has encountered various pitfalls. These are outlined, to pinpoint the contribution that this special issue makes to the rapidly-evolving body of research on religion in the context of development. The paper then provides an editorial overview of the themes and papers in the special issue, which includes both research-based articles and practical notes.
This paper takes stock of current thinking about the nature and distinctiveness of faith-based organisations (FBOs) in development. Since the 1990s, public policy-linked scholarship from the USA has sought to define and categorise FBOs. More recently, many donors have increasingly chosen to work with and fund such organisations, giving rise to discussions about how FBOs working in development should be defined and classified, and how their contribution to development should be assessed. While many of the available studies portray FBOs as having comparative advantages over so-called secular organisations, this paper concludes that such a generalisation over-simplifies reality, particularly in the absence of convincing evidence. Further assessments of the characteristics, roles, and activities of all types of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) are needed to assist in the choice of development partners and to test claims of distinctiveness and comparative advantage.
The contemporary world is experiencing a global revival of the public role of religion in shaping modern politics, public policy and social welfare. Correspondingly, a growing group of development scholars and practitioners have sought to understand the intersection of religion and the global development enterprise. However, scholars have yet to fashion an empirically grounded, synthetic framework for analyzing the range of approaches to development, both material and spiritual, that are at play in the world today. This article presents such a framework, drawing on 200 interviews with development practitioners sampled from across nine countries in the global south.
Religion, spirituality and faith have suffered from long-term and systematic neglect in development theory, policy making and practice, although there has been a noticeable turnover the past 10 years. This paper explores the role of religion, spirituality and faith in development in the past, present and future by applying three core concepts from critical theory—grounding of knowledge in historical context, critique through dialectical process, and identification of future potentialities for emancipation and self-determination. It concludes that religion, spirituality and faith have a role to play in the future of development, particularly in ensuring that it is appropriate and sustainable. The paper also serves to counter critics who claim that critical theory has no resonance to contemporary social research.
In this paper, I investigate the religious notion of self-realization or self-actualization in the context of sustainability, and argue that sustainability is the means to this end. I am particularly interested in Hindu perspectives on self-realization or the Purusharthas . The Purusharthas provide an interesting sustainability critique because they consider the satisfaction of material want as an important step to self-actualization; the reconciliation of want and need is a fundamental sustainability tension. The issue of growing want is doubtless an important one, given the rapidly growing middle classes in the developing world that aspire to Western material dreams, as illustrated by the case of Delhi. The Purusharthas may be seen to give consumption legitimacy; however, I argue that it is the selective understanding and institutionalization of the religious message that causes the sustainability problem. Viewed in their entirety, the Purusharthas provide the correct prescriptions for the sustainable enjoyment of want, and take the adherent beyond sustainability into greater transcendence or self-awareness. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd and ERP Environment.
The paper examines alternative roles for planners in planning for sustainable development. First, it outlines the particular context of the task focusing on operational questions, critical issues and sustainable development planning principles. It then explores roles for planners in this context distinguishing broadly among technician, politician and hybrid planners. It evaluates broadly each role's effectiveness and challenges, in particular decision making and political contexts. Finally, it discusses, first, the implications of these roles for planning education and identifies the main groups of skills planning schools should offer. Second, it analyses briefly the implications of these roles for planning practice in terms of the spatial/organizational level of planning, time horizon, functional planning areas, political/decision making system and planning's position in this system.
"The questions he poses about the relationship between technical change and political power are pressing ones that can no longer be ignored, and identifying them is perhaps the most a nascent 'philosophy of technology' can expect to achieve at the present time."âDavid Dickson, New York Times Book Review "The Whale and the Reactor is the philosopher's equivalent of superb public history. In its pages an analytically trained mind confronts some of the most pressing political issues of our day."âRuth Schwartz Cowan, Isis
For the most part, philosophical discussion of the senses has been concerned with what distinguishes them from one another, following Grice’s treatment of this issue in his ‘Remarks on the senses’ (1962). But this is one of two questions which Grice raises in this influential paper. The other, the question of what distinguishes senses from faculties that are not senses, is the question I address in this thesis. Though there are good reasons to think that the awareness we have of our bodies is perceptual, we do not usually think of bodily awareness as a sense. So in particular, I try to give an account of what it is that is distinctive about the five familiar modalities that they do not share with bodily awareness. I argue that what is distinctive about vision, touch, hearing, taste and smell, is that perception in all these modalities has enabling and disabling conditions of a certain kind. These enabling and disabling conditions are manifest in the conscious character of experience in these modalities, and exploited in active perceptual attention— in looking, listening, and so on. Bodily awareness has no such enabling conditions. The five familiar senses having this distinctive feature, and bodily awareness lacking it is not a merely incidental difference between them. Nevertheless, I do not claim that having these enabling conditions is necessary and sufficient for counting some faculty as a sense, or, correlatively, for something being an instance of sense-perception. Rather, we can see why it would serve certain (contingent) human interests for us to think of the faculties that involve these enabling conditions as instances of a single kind of thing, of which bodily awareness is not an instance.
Regional analysis is increasingly populated by fuzzy concepts that lack clarity and are difficult to test or operationalize: flexible specialization, windows of opportunity, resurgent regions, world cities, cooperative competition. Many analyses rely on anecdote or singular case studies, while contrarian cases and more comprehensive and comparative inquiries are ignored. Methodology is often not discussed adequately. This trend has been accompanied by an increasing detachment from political and policy advocacy. In this paper, I define fuzzy concepts and relate their proliferation to an emphasis on process rather than institutions, agents and behaviour. To demonstrate my arguments, I review three highly acclaimed bodies of work-flexible specialization with its re-agglomeration thesis; world cities; and 'cooperative competition' in industrial districts a la Silicon Valley. The paper makes the case for adherence to social science norms of conceptual coherence, causal theory (with both behavioural and structural components) and subjection of theory to the rigours of evidence, where the latter may encompass qualitative and quantitative techniques. Greater commitment to entering the policy debate and to making results accessible and informative to policymakers, regional planners and political activists would substantially strengthen this body of research and its usefulness.
The psychological principles that govern the perception of decision problems and the evaluation of probabilities and outcomes
produce predictable shifts of preference when the same problem is framed in different ways. Reversals of preference are demonstrated
in choices regarding monetary outcomes, both hypothetical and real, and in questions pertaining to the loss of human lives.
The effects of frames on preferences are compared to the effects of perspectives on perceptual appearance. The dependence
of preferences on the formulation of decision problems is a significant concern for the theory of rational choice.
Religion and development
- G Buijs
- Ak Giri
- A Harskamp
- Salemink
- G Buijs
- Ak Giri
- A Harskamp
- Salemink
Self-development, inclusion of the other and planetary realisations In The Development of Religion, the Religion of Development
- Ak Giri
- Ak Giri
Why I am not a Hindu: a Sudra Critique of Hindutva Philosophy, Culture and Political Economy
- K Ilaiah
- K Ilaiah
Rationality and Religion
- R Trigg
- R Trigg
The Development of Religion, the Religion of Development The Freedom Paradox: Towards a Post-Secular Ethics. Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest
- Giri
- Ak
- A Harskamp
- Salemink
Giri AK, van Harskamp A, Salemink O (eds). 2004. The Development of Religion, the Religion of Development. Eburon Delft: Delft. Hamilton C. 2008. The Freedom Paradox: Towards a Post-Secular Ethics. Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest, New South Wales.
Can Hindu Beliefs and Values Help India Meet Its Ecological Crisis? In Hinduism and Ecology: The Intersection of Earth
- A Agarwal
Agarwal A. 2000. Can Hindu Beliefs and Values Help India Meet Its Ecological Crisis?. In Hinduism and Ecology: The Intersection of Earth, Sky and Water, Chapple C, Tucker ME (ed.). Harvard University Press: Cambridge, Mass; 165–182.
Religion in Development: Rewriting the Secular Script Zed: London. Gandhi MK. 1921. The Great Sentinel. Young India 13 October. Giri AK. 2004. Self-development, inclusion of the other and planetary realisations
- S Deneulin
- Bano
Deneulin S, Bano M. 2009. Religion in Development: Rewriting the Secular Script. Zed: London. Gandhi MK. 1921. The Great Sentinel. Young India 13 October. Giri AK. 2004. Self-development, inclusion of the other and planetary realisations. In The Development of Religion, the Religion of Development, Giri AK, van Harskamp A, Salemink O (eds). Eburon Delft: Delft; 109–119.
The Spiritual Imperatives of This Millennium: Healing Humanity Why Diwali is such a gilt trip. The Times of India Social Justice Commission: Draft Synod Proposal on Environmental Issues Focus introduction: Aquatic nature religion
- Y A Sfeir
Sfeir-Y. A. 2001. The Spiritual Imperatives of This Millennium: Healing Humanity. http://www.worldpeacecongress.net/en/2004/speakers/alfredo. htm [25 July 2012]. Suraiya J. 2007. Why Diwali is such a gilt trip. The Times of India. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/Opinion/Sunday_Specials/ Why_Diwali_is_such_a_gilt_trip/articleshow/2515779.cms [4 November 2011]. Synod of Western Australia. 2001. Social Justice Commission: Draft Synod Proposal on Environmental Issues. http://www.sustainability.dpc.wa.gov. au/docs/BGPpapers/Ethics%20papers/UnitingChurch2.pdf [12 March 2012]. Taylor B. 2007. Focus introduction: Aquatic nature religion. Journal of the American Academy of Religion 75(4): 863–874.
The Whale and the Reactor: a Search for Limits in an Age of High Technology Religion and spirituality: unfuzzying the fuzzy
- L Winner
- Il Chicago
- Zinnbauer Bj
- Cole Ki B Pargament
- Ms
- Em Butter
- Tg Belavich
- Hipp
- Km
- Ab Scott
- Kadar
- Jl
Winner L. 1986. The Whale and the Reactor: a Search for Limits in an Age of High Technology. Chicago University Press: Chicago, IL. Zinnbauer BJ, Pargament KI, Cole B, Rye MS, Butter EM, Belavich TG, Hipp KM, Scott AB, Kadar JL. 1997. Religion and spirituality: unfuzzying the fuzzy. Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 36(4): 549–564.
Rationality and Religion. Blackwell: Oxford. Tversky A, Kahneman D. 1981. The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice
- R Trigg
Trigg R. 1998. Rationality and Religion. Blackwell: Oxford. Tversky A, Kahneman D. 1981. The framing of decisions and the psychology of choice. Science 211(4481): 453–458.
Consolation for unpopularity. The Consolations of Philosophy. Penguin: London Economy, Ecology and Spirituality: Towards a Theory and Practice of Sustainability
- A Davison
- Fernando S De Fonseca C
- D Korten
- Roxas T S Quizon
- Singh
Davison A. 2001. Technology and the Contested Meanings of Sustainability. State University of New York Press: Albany, NY. De Botton A. 2000. Consolation for unpopularity. The Consolations of Philosophy. Penguin: London. de Fonseca C, Fernando S, Korten D, Quizon T, Roxas S, Singh B et al. 1993. Economy, Ecology and Spirituality: Towards a Theory and Practice of Sustainability. http://www.pcdf.org/1993/orgprin.htm [18 April 2012].
Sustainable development and the greening of development theory Zed: London
- W Adams
Preface In Spirit of the Environment: Religion, Value and Environmental Concern Routledge
- Ja Palmer
Social Justice Commission: Draft Synod Proposal on Environmental Issues
- Western Synod
- Australia
Economy, Ecology and Spirituality: Towards a Theory and Practice of Sustainability
- C De Fonseca
- S Fernando
- D Korten
- T Quizon
- S Roxas
- B Singh
The Freedom Paradox: Towards a Post-Secular Ethics. Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest
- C Hamilton
Affluenza: When Too Much is Never Enough. Allen and Unwin: Crows Nest
- C Hamilton
- R Denniss
Shall the Religious Inherit the Earth? Demography and Politics in the Twenty-First Century
- E Kauffman
Religion and development Eburon Delft: Delft
- G Buijs
The Sarvodaya Shramadana Movement, Sri Lanka Samwad India Foundation
- K Chowdhry
Self-development, inclusion of the other and planetary realisations Eburon Delft: Delft
- Ak Giri
Ecology and Religion: Ecological Spirituality in Cross-Cultural Perspective
- D Kinsley
The recovery of wisdom: Gaia theory and environmental policy Routledge: London
- A Primavesi