Human Development, Well-Being and Globalisation

Over time, different aspects of human development have been infused with an alternative, multidisciplinary, and cross-cultural perspective. There has been a profound dissatisfaction and confusion about narrow economic and social concepts and indicators regarding human development and social progress. This book reexamines the concepts, ideas, and issues of human development, suggesting the need to consider broader and more multidimensional meanings of development. The human development approach associated with the economist-philosopher Amartya Sen has offered a remarkable course correction in terms of focusing, not just on income, but on capabilities to enable one to choose and live a worthwhile life. The book argues that capabilities can be even more fulfilling if they lead to real empowerment and multidimensional well-being. Well-being is conceived, not as self-centered happiness, but more in the sense of human flourishing and virtues. In the context of neo-liberal globalization and its malaise - which is manifest in global warming and climate crisis, the present global economic crisis, as well as the crisis of meaning and purpose of our common humanity - ideas have been put forth for alternative globalization in the form of the World Social Forum, as opposed to the World Economic Forum.