Comprises six papers which focus on the need for improvements in social performance and reductions in inequality and poverty if sustainable economic development is to be achieved. Examines disparities among educational outcomes in OECD and Latin American countries and shows how educational attainment is related to employment outcomes. Explores demographic trends and challenges facing the health sector, examines the use of culture-related and poverty indicators and analyses the relationships between growth, poverty and income distribution. Includes results of a poverty survey in Ghana.
Perpetual economic growth is physically impossible on a planet with finite resources. Many concerned with humanity's future have focused on the concept of "sustainable development" as an alternative, as they seek means of achieving current economic and social goals without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own goals. Sustainable development brings together elements of economics, public policy, sociology, ecology, resource management, and other related areas, and while the term has become quite popular, it is rarely defined, and even less often is it understood. A Survey of Sustainable Development addresses that problem by bringing together in a single volume the most important works on sustainable human and economic development. It offers a broad overview of the subject, and gives the reader a quick and thorough guide to this highly diffuse topic. The volume offers ten sections on topics including: economic and social dimensions of sustainable development the North/South balance population and the demographic transition agriculture and renewable resources energy and materials use globalization and corporate responsibility local and national strategies Each section is introduced with an essay by one of the volume editors that provides an overview of the subject and a summary of the mainstream literature, followed by two- to three-page abstracts of the most important articles or book chapters on the topic. A Survey of Sustainable Development is the sixth and final volume in the Frontier Issues of Economic Thought series produced by the Global Development And Environment Institute at Tufts University. Each book brings together the most important articles and book chapters in a "frontier" area of economics where important new work is being done but has not yet been incorporated into the mainstream of economic study. The book is an essential reference for students and scholars concerned with economics, environmental studies, public policy and administration, international development, and a broad range of related fields.
Why do some states provide infrastructure and social services to their citizens, and others do not? In Development in Multiple Dimensions, Alexander Lee examines the origins of success and failure in the public services of developing countries. Comparing states within India, this study examines how elites either control, or are shut out of, policy decisions and how the interests of these elites influence public policy. He shows that social inequalities are not single but multiple, creating groups of competing elites with divergent policy interests. Since the power of these elites varies, states do not necessarily focus on the same priorities: some focus on infrastructure, others on social services, and still others on both or neither. The author develops his ideas through quantitative comparisons and case studies focusing on four northern Indian states: Gujarat, West Bengal, Bihar, and Himachal Pradesh, each of which represents different types of political economy and has a different set of powerful caste groups. The evidence indicates that regional variation in India is a consequence of social differences, and the impact of these differences on carefully considered distributional strategies, rather than differences in ideology, geography, or institutions.
While major strides have been made in the scientific understanding of climate change, much less understood is how these dynamics in the physical enviornment interact with socioeconomic systems. This book brings together the latest knowledge on the consequences of climate change for society and how best to address them.
A comprehensive resource to sustainability and its application to the environmental, industrial, agricultural and food security sectors Sustainability fills a gap in the literature in order to provide an important guide to the fundamental knowledge and practical applications of sustainability in a wide variety of areas. The authors – noted experts who represent a number of sustainability fields – bring together in one comprehensive volume the broad range of topics including basic concepts, impact assessment, environmental and the socio-economic aspects of sustainability. In addition, the book covers applications of sustainability in environmental, industrial, agricultural and food security, as well as carbon cycle and infrastructural aspects. Sustainability addresses the challenges the global community is facing due to population growth, depletion of non-renewable resources of energy, environmental degradation, poverty, excessive generation of wastes and more. Throughout the book the authors discuss the economics, ecological, social, technological and systems perspectives of sustainability. This important resource: Explores the fundamentals as well as the key concepts of sustainability; Covers basic concepts, impact assessment, environmental and socio-economic aspects, applications of sustainability in environmental, industrial, agricultural and food security, carbon cycle and infrastructural aspects; Argues the essentiality of sustainability in ensuring the propitious future of earth systems; and Authored by experts from a range of various fields related to sustainability. Written for researchers and scientists, students and academics, Sustainability: Fundamentals and Applications is a comprehensive book that covers the basic knowledge of the topic combined with practical applications.
Textbook on the role of social policy and social planning in economic and social development - explains the need for an integrated approach to overcome poverty and to control population growth and social problems arising from rapid urbanization; discusses health policy, educational development, housing needs and social services; reviews development aid strategy and policy issues. Bibliography.
Bringing together over 25 years of research into the social aspects of learning disabilities (LD), this book presents a range of topics that reflect on the richness of research interests in the discipline. In honor of Tanis Bryan, the pioneer in research on social competence of children with LD, the researchers that follow her lead systematically examine critical issues in the social relationships of these children. The book begins by placing the work of Bryan and her research associates' in context, in terms of the prevailing theoretical frameworks and social political influences that led to the enormous impact of the work. The chapters that follow discuss: *social cognition in children and adolescents with LD; *self-understanding and self-esteem in children and adults with LD; *the lonely plight, peer influence, and friendship patterns of children with LD; *parental understanding and how this understanding shapes their scaffolding of learning in their children with language disabilities; *a new intervention approach toward enhancing self-concept and reading comprehension in LD students through bibliotherapy; *important and timely information on interventions for enhancing peer relations and preventing drop-out in adolescents; *models in longitudinal research with implications for research on social dimensions of LD; and *the important role of teachers in enhancing classroom social experiences for students with LD. Summarizing research findings and their implications in the various areas in the field, this book will be an excellent text for a special topics course in graduate programs in learning disabilities, special education, psychology, and social work. In addition, it will be a highly important resource for university/college teachers, researchers, graduate and honors students, and professionals in learning disabilities, social psychology, and social work.
Urban agriculture is an increasingly popular practice in cities worldwide, and a sustainable future for it is critical, especially for the urban poor of the developing world.
Bsrd A. Andreassen is Professor at the Norwegian Center for Human Rights and Director of Research (human rights and development) at the Law Faculty, University of Oslo. --
