Tag Archives: Human development

Goals are good, but do the MDGs need to be simplified?

Posted in: Aid Effectiveness, Alternatives in development | February 11, 2013 at 4:00 pm , by Scott Weathers

This week we present three posts around the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). There are eight MDGs that need to be met by 2015. Given the unlikely even that all will be met, Scott Weathers suggests we condense the MDGs into something simpler....

Gold medals for human development

Posted in: Humour, Sport & Development | August 11, 2012 at 12:00 pm , by Brendan Rigby

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What determines winning gold medals at the Olympics? In a response to the research findings of Bill Easterly, Brendan Rigby looks at the relationship between human development and winning gold medals. The results suggest need for further research and spending less time on the Internet....

Is “sustainable development” an oxymoron?

Posted in: Alternatives in development, Environment, Ethics in development | June 11, 2012 at 9:55 pm , by Erin Nash

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In the first of a three-part series leading up to Rio+20 on June 20, Erin Nash asks if environmental sustainability and development can truly co-exist. Are we able to increase human wellbeing and quality of life, without using more resources than the Earth can produce for us?...

Literacy in Development: the flaws with using literacy rates to inform development policy (part 3)

Posted in: Education | April 4, 2012 at 1:00 pm , by Alex Grey

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In her third post on literacy and development, Alex Grey examines some of the issues associated with using literacy rates as a measurement to inform development policy, and shows how problematic approaches to monitoring literacy can lead to problems on the ground....

What David Foster Wallace taught me about development

Posted in: Reflection | May 5, 2011 at 11:59 pm , by Weh Yeoh

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What can a writer of fiction teach us about development? In this post, Weh Yeoh explores one of the central themes of the much admired David Foster Wallace's life, and sees many benefits of adopting a similar perspective as a worker in the field of development....

Alone together

Posted in: Technology | March 18, 2011 at 11:50 am , by Brendan Rigby

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A debate between Brendan and Weh. The premise: Technology is changing human relationships and development for the worse. ...

War and Peace (prizes)

Posted in: China & Development | December 9, 2010 at 12:24 pm , by Brendan Rigby

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It is now well-known that a total of 18 countries have declined invitations to attend the ceremony of the Nobel Peace Prize on Friday. According to most reports, China is doing some heavy arm twisting and threatening consequences if certain countries attend. In this feature, Brendan looks at this odd...

Ciclovia and the pursuit of non-pollutant happyness

Posted in: Environment | September 1, 2010 at 11:01 pm , by Laura O'Neill

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‘Traffic jams’ and ‘air pollution’ appear to be phrases synonymous with both developing and developed urban life. Mothers who smoke while pregnant actually cause less risks to their unborn child than if they were to live and breathe in Mexico city. Pollution in Mexico City increases the chance of suffering...

Socially engaged Buddhism – a model for development?

Posted in: Alternatives in development | August 3, 2010 at 3:09 pm , by Brendan Rigby

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In this feature article, Brendan looks at alternative, non-Eurocentric approaches to development. In particular, he examines the principals and practice of socially engaged Buddhism (SEB). ...

Waging war on development

Posted in: Alternatives in development | July 5, 2010 at 8:00 am , by Brendan Rigby

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In this feature, Brendan Rigby suggests that a systemic weakness of the international community is a lack of co-ordination in approaches to development. Current approaches are modelled after traditional military campaigns, which are outdated and ineffective. New approaches to development need to be modeled on approaches which are inclusive of,...