Overview

Pope Paul VI's notion of ""integral human development,"" which was endorsed by his successors including Pope Francis, broke with the modern project of purely economic and technological development, resulting in an original understanding of development. Like a conventional notion of development, this theoretical construct favors economic growth, technological innovation, and the implementation of social programs. However, development is not just a socioeconomic and political issue, let alone a technical one; it raises, fundamentally, theological questions and points to important ethical challenges. Hence, integral human development is a vocation at which all personal, social, and political activity must be directed. As such, it is not a social but an anthropological program. Far from being a secular development theory, the notion of ""integral human development"" emphasizes the religious goal of reconciling humanity and God through the creation of a human family over and above material social and economic issues. Sustained by global principle and shaped by different cultural views, this book brings forth the uniqueness of this approach to development, examines its contribution to human welfare, and anticipates the resistances it may face.

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9781532691652

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The authors in this valuable book contribute to the advancement of Catholic social thought on sustainable development from many countries in all the continents of our world. They propose new ways to address urgent global environmental and political challenges, building on Pope Francis's challenge to accept the fact that we share a common home on the earth. --David Hollenbach, SJ, Georgetown University By conceptualizing human development beyond its material aspect to include the spiritual, social, cultural, and political aspects, this book restores to the human being all his dignity and puts him on the path of shared happiness. This book speaks therefore to theologians as well as to economists and all social scientists interested in the multidimensional nature of human flourishing. --Arsene Brice, Jesuit University, Cote d'Ivoire This book is a game-changer for Catholic social ideals such as personal dignity, the common good, and integral development. And it confronts two big questions facing political activism everywhere: How can we get from high-minded ideals and sound-bytes to practical action that will make a difference? And what action can be effective in our fragmented global environment, where no one body has moral command, legal authority, or enforcement power? We have Azetsop's social science expertise and his religiously inspired vision of human solidarity to thank for this unique gathering of creative experts. Their exchanges are a wellspring of new and better strategies toward economic and ecological justice. --Lisa Sowle Cahill, Boston College

Author Information

Jacquineau Azétsop, SJ, is the Dean of the Faculty of Social Sciences at the Pontifical Gregorian University. He has authored or coauthored a number of academic articles, and his books include Structural Violence, Population Health and Health Equity (2010) and HIV and AIDS in Africa (2016).

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