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'Human Development': The Power of the Idea

Author

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  • Desmond McNeill

Abstract

The idea of human development, and the related index, has been developed and promoted by the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) largely through its annual Human Development Reports. In recent years it has become more closely associated with the work of Amartya Sen. Initially, the concept formed an important part of the counter-discourse against the dominant perspective associated with the Bretton Woods Institutions. Since then, the policies and perspectives of both the UNDP and the World Bank have to some extent changed, and much has been built on the foundations of this concept — both by bureaucrats and academics. The aim of this paper is to critically assess this process. The paper draws a comparison with findings from the author's earlier research on a number of other influential ideas in development policy, such as 'social capital', and suggests that 'human development' has generally fared rather better.

Suggested Citation

  • Desmond McNeill, 2007. "'Human Development': The Power of the Idea," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 8(1), pages 5-22.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:8:y:2007:i:1:p:5-22
    DOI: 10.1080/14649880601101366
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    Cited by:

    1. Ilaria Schnyder von Wartensee & Elizabeth Hlabse & Gabriella Berloffa & Giuseppe Folloni, 2019. "The Role of Personal Identity in Human Development," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 31(3), pages 461-479, July.
    2. Juan Telleria, 2023. "Defining and Measuring Human Development: A Genealogical Analysis of the UNDP’s Human Development Reports," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 35(3), pages 520-544, June.
    3. Mike Noon, 2007. "The fatal flaws of diversity and the business case for ethnic minorities," Work, Employment & Society, British Sociological Association, vol. 21(4), pages 773-784, December.
    4. Tadashi Hirai, 2022. "A balancing act between economic growth and sustainable development: Historical trajectory through the lens of development indicators," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 30(6), pages 1900-1910, December.
    5. Zaid Eyadat, 2013. "Development from the Economic to the Human: Means, Ends and Results. A Sustainability Approach," RIVISTA DI STUDI SULLA SOSTENIBILITA', FrancoAngeli Editore, vol. 2013(2), pages 39-58.
    6. Janette Habashi & Lynne Wright & John Hathcoat, 2012. "Patterns of Human Development Indicators Across Constitutional Analysis of Children’s Rights to Protection, Provision, and Participation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 105(1), pages 63-73, January.

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