Editorial: What Next

This paper contains a reflection on the current state of the world and the multiple dimensions of its main problems. Perhaps in no other period of the recent human history such a coincidence of crisis took place. Mankind faces today a difficult situation at all levels which will predictably aggravate in the future: environment, energy, economy, raw materials exhaustion, food, social inequity, population growth, governance. Business-as-usual is not an option and the optimism of the cornucopians based on the faith on technological solutions seems unconvincing. We live today a turning point in the modern history which was built on ideas of development, growth and material progress. The economic growth and the consumption society lead to an unsustainable situation. The decarbonisation targets, the gradual exhaustion of fossil fuels and raw materials, and the demographic issues will strongly shape our future. In the western societies the material life conditions reached recently a maximum level and are now decreasing. The need to rethink our lifestyle in a disaccelerating economy is becoming increasingly clear. More difficult life conditions and less welfare state are expected. For the first time, generations will face more difficult times than their parents. The optimism of the Modern is over.

2011

European Journal of Development Research, 2011

The context for 'development' -however defined -is changing, not only because of the global economic crisis, but also in light of broader changes. If the context for development is changing, then the study of this 'development' will also need to adapt to these changing circumstances. This article seeks to contribute to debates on the future of development studies (DS), and consider what the changing context for 'development' might mean for a new 'operating system' within DS. The article outlines two possible stylised futures to trigger debate, respectively based on a widening or a narrowing of the scope of DS: A future DS with a broader scope via global perspectives on inter-connected development (a 'one-world' DS); and a future DS with a narrower scope via attention to the needs of the poorest countries or the poorest people (a 'bottom billion' DS).

Health and Human Rights, 2021

Three crises—climate change, the COVID-19 pandemic, and extreme economic and social inequality—intersect and have had devastating impacts on workers’ rights to health, as well as the right to decent work, an underlying determinant of health. Yet these crises may act as catalysts, as responses present opportunities for transformation. Indeed, multiple international governance institutions and nongovernmental organizations have proposed new social contracts that aim to address the multiple challenges facing workers today. These initiatives promise to transform society to make workers and their families healthier and the planet more sustainable. They join and supplement earlier efforts at transformation, such as the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. This article critiques (1) the market-fundamentalist neoliberal social contract, which gave rise to, or exacerbated, the three crises, and (2) the 2030 agenda and recent International Labour Organization proposals, which are all buil...

The European Journal of Development Research, 2005

Feelings that we are living in a period of unique and unprecedented change compared to a relatively stable and predictable past are not the patrimony of any particular generation-to some extent, all generations become, from time to time, overcome by the sense that, in historical terms, they are lurching towards the unknown. It is perhaps part and parcel of the human condition that people sense they are experiencing something exceptional and unparalleled because in this way they themselves feel special and to some extent privileged. The bravado with which Fukuyama [1992] proclaimed, at the beginning of the 1990s, The End of History is a perfect example of such histrionics. These feelings are also pervasive precisely because a correct sense of perspective is so often missing. As Hegel once famously commented, 'the only thing that we learn from history is. .. that we learn nothing from history'. But feelings of consummate change also provoke fear for the future, and there will always be people who are tempted to prey on such trepidation. An example is the way in which post-9/11 a number of writers and politicians in the United States stressed the existence of a whole array of dangers (ranging from biological warfare, nuclear terrorism to mass migration) lurking in the shadows-most of which supposedly emanate from developing countries. Yet uncertainty is a universal phenomenon. Following in the path of Erlich Beck [1992], Giddens [1998] warned of the increasing risk associated with the new global economy. If we are to deal effectively with uncertainty and unexpected hazards-like climatic change, sudden financial crises, pandemics or terrorism-these problems need to be confronted by a new set of policies, ones which embrace the concept of 'flexibility'. Things that were taken for granted can

2012

Piecemeal fragmented strategies cannot address the pressing challenges facing humanity today. Economic theory has to be radically reinvented to squarely face the reality of rising unemployment, widening inequalities, growing ecological threats, frustrated social aspirations and unmet human needs. Monetary and fiscal policies are too crude and insufficient to steer the essential change of course required to address multidimensional demographic, ecological, economic, political and social crises. New values are needed to guide policy formulation and new institutions are needed to support peaceful social evolution and inclusive, equitable development in an increasingly globalized and interconnected world.

IDS Bulletin, 2011

The major global crises of the past four years-financial, fuel, food, climate-have collectively had a dramatic impact on people's lives and livelihoods. Have they also had a large impact on core ideas underlying mainstream development? Drawing on a number of Reimagining Development case studies and on a much wider literature, this article examines the impacts of the crises on lives and livelihoods and also on core development ideas. First the article sets out why the current time is a good one for reimagining. Then it highlights some of the new ideas that are emerging and some of the older ones that are making a reappearance. Finally, the article reflects on the challenges of reimagining development and processes that are important if new ideas are to make a difference.

European Journal of Development Research, 2011

The context for 'development' -however defined -is changing, not only because of the global economic crisis, but also in light of broader changes. If the context for development is changing, then the study of this 'development' will also need to adapt to these changing circumstances. This article seeks to contribute to debates on the future of development studies (DS), and consider what the changing context for 'development' might mean for a new 'operating system' within DS. The article outlines two possible stylised futures to trigger debate, respectively based on a widening or a narrowing of the scope of DS: A future DS with a broader scope via global perspectives on inter-connected development (a 'one-world' DS); and a future DS with a narrower scope via attention to the needs of the poorest countries or the poorest people (a 'bottom billion' DS).

Journal of Futures Studies, 2016

This Special Issue is focused on "Exploring paths to a viable future: obstacles and opportunities; requirements and strategies". In our invitation for submissions we said: "Today we find ourselves at a difficult crossroad: although we know that business as usual is unsustainable, the path to a viable future is not clear…. This call for papers asks for articles, reports and essays exploring the enormous challenge of how the global political economy can be rapidly transformed into a sustainable system." The current approach to major global issues-such as the interconnected problems of climate, water, food and energy-represents a massive failure to understand and manage critical risks. For example, although there is an international consensus that average global temperatures should not be allowed to increase more than 2°C, no practical plans have been made for staying within this limit (Heinberg, 2015). Moreover, 2°C is hardly a safe thresholdit is considered the point at which there is a 50% chance of dangerous outcomes (Anderson & Bows, 2011). Almost no-one would take a flight that had a 1% chance of having a dangerous outcome, let alone a 50% chance. Nevertheless, we-all of humanity-are taking this perilous trip because our leaders assure us (and we want to believe) that everything will work out fine. We can do much better. Our species is very good at managing risks-when we put our minds to it (e.g. ISO, 2015). It is safe to fly because airplanes are designed, built, operated and maintained to strict standards that ensure that there is less than a 1 in 4 million chance of a major accident occurring per flight (IATA, 2014). We need to apply similar risk management principles (e.g. Smith & Simpson, 2010) to our greatest problems: preventing the catastrophic collapse of nature and society and creating a safe, sustainable future. The first step is to determine unacceptable risks-the factors that could cause the failure of critical biophysical and social systems. Then we need to discover how the global system must be transformed to ensure safe outcomes. The next challenge is determining how it can be transformed. We then need to develop viable strategies-to decide how we will transform the global system. The final tasks will be building consensus around various strategies and implementing them. Of course this is easier said than done. While a CEO can order a company to develop and implement a business plan, the Secretary-General of the United Nations has no power to order

Challenging Global Development: Towards Decoloniality and Justice., 2024

The field of development studies has always presented difficult challenges for policymakers, academics, practitioners, journalists and concerned citizens. Methodologically, these challenges can be usefully approached from two angles.