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WHO WANTS TO GIVE FOREVER? GIVING MEANING TO SUSTAINABILITY IN DEVELOPMENT
Author(s) -
Taylor Ben
Publication year - 2014
Publication title -
journal of international development
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.533
H-Index - 66
eISSN - 1099-1328
pISSN - 0954-1748
DOI - 10.1002/jid.3033
Subject(s) - sustainability , poverty , adaptability , meaning (existential) , documentation , psychological intervention , process (computing) , term (time) , political science , economics , economic growth , positive economics , sociology , psychology , management , computer science , ecology , physics , quantum mechanics , psychiatry , psychotherapist , biology , programming language , operating system
This paper argues strongly in favour of a re‐examination of the term ‘sustainability’ in international development research, policy and practice. It demonstrates that the term is understood pluralistically, being both environmental and economic. Within economic interpretations, this paper identifies three clear understandings of ‘sustainability’, which effect programme design and, ultimately, their impact on poverty significantly. The paper argues that the ramifications of this definition go far beyond semantics and have a significant impact on the development outcomes realised by programmes that incorporate the term. Having evaluated these conceptions, the paper argues for sustainability in development as being interventions that alter the causes of poverty so that the process through which change occurs is improved in an adaptive and permanent way, a permanent increase in adaptability . Evidence is drawn from a review of the literature and policy documentation. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.