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The Human Development Approach: An Overview

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  • Frances Stewart

Abstract

The human development (HD) approach puts the improvement of people’s lives as the central objective of development. This paper provides an overview of major aspects of the approach. It shows how it emerged with the evolution of development thought and a widening of development objectives The paper explores the two-way relationship between HD and the rival objective, economic growth, is explored and broad characteristics of countries that have been exceptionally successful or unsuccessful , countries with three country cases considered in greater depth. The paper identifies major dimensions of HD, beyond the three elements included in the Human Development Index (HDI) and shows they are poorly captured by the HDI. An overview of global change on HD dimensions from 1980 to 2015 gives a mixed picture with progress on basic HD, uneven trends in some areas, and notable worsening on the environmental dimension. In conclusion, the paper discusses some outstanding issues which need more attention.

Suggested Citation

  • Frances Stewart, 2019. "The Human Development Approach: An Overview," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 47(2), pages 135-153, April.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:oxdevs:v:47:y:2019:i:2:p:135-153
    DOI: 10.1080/13600818.2019.1585793
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    Cited by:

    1. 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.
    2. Serdar Ozturk & Seher Suluk, 2020. "The granger causality relationship between human development and economic growth: The case of Norway," International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science (2147-4478), Center for the Strategic Studies in Business and Finance, vol. 9(6), pages 143-153, October.
    3. Wang, Hanjie & Feil, Jan-Henning & Yu, Xiaohua, 2023. "Let the data speak about the cut-off values for multidimensional index: Classification of human development index with machine learning," Socio-Economic Planning Sciences, Elsevier, vol. 87(PA).
    4. Ioannis Bournakis & Mona Said & Antonio Savoia & Francesco Savoia, 2021. "Regional Income Inequality in Egypt: Evolution and Implications for Sustainable Development Goal 10," LIS Working papers 798, LIS Cross-National Data Center in Luxembourg.
    5. Messkoub, M., 2021. "Sustainability and social policy nexus," ISS Working Papers - General Series 685, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam (ISS), The Hague.
    6. Opoku, Eric Evans Osei & Dogah, Kingsley E. & Aluko, Olufemi Adewale, 2022. "The contribution of human development towards environmental sustainability," Energy Economics, Elsevier, vol. 106(C).
    7. Kamalu, Kabiru & Wan Ibrahim, Wan Hakimah, 2022. "The Influence of Institutional Quality on Human Development: Evidence from Developing Countries," Jurnal Ekonomi Malaysia, Faculty of Economics and Business, Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, vol. 56(1), pages 93-105.
    8. Francis Onditi, 2021. "Dominatarian Theory of Regional Integration," Insight on Africa, , vol. 13(1), pages 76-94, January.
    9. Tamgid Ahmed Chowdhury, 2021. "Applying and extending the sustainable livelihoods approach: Identifying the livelihood capitals and well-being achievements of indigenous people in Bangladesh," Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer;Institute for Social and Economic Change, vol. 23(2), pages 302-320, December.
    10. Sara Wyngaarden & Sally Humphries & Kelly Skinner & Esmeralda Lobo Tosta & Veronica Zelaya Portillo & Paola Orellana & Warren Dodd, 2022. "‘This Helps You See Life Differently’: Evaluating Youth Development and Capability Expansion in Remote Communities of Honduras," Progress in Development Studies, , vol. 22(2), pages 174-195, April.

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