A vision for community development

In Community Development in an Uncertain World, Jim Ife draws on the principles of social justice, ecological responsibility and post-Enlightenment and Indigenous perspectives to advance new holistic approaches to community development. The book explores the concept of community development on a local and international scale in the context of globalisation and postcolonial theory. Students will gain the essential skills and practical understanding required to navigate the existing managerial environment and cultivate new community practices. This new edition incorporates current research into community development and includes important new work on 'alternative visions' for a sustainable and just future. It introduces the foundational theories of community development and explains their importance in shaping solutions to uniquely modern issues. Readers are encouraged to critically engage with the material through the accompanying discussion questions. Written in an accessible, engaging style, this text is an essential resource for students and professionals in the human services.

South Africa has vigorously embraced the concept of the blue economy. However, the scope, scale and impacts of South Africa's blue economy initiative, have raised significant concerns amongst local communities, NGOs and scholar activists in South Africa who are challenging South Africa's conceptualization of, and approach to “blue growth.” This paper provides a critique of South Africa's approach to planning, developing and governing the ocean economy and argues that the principles of social justice and environmental sustainability have been sidelined in favor of pursuing rapid economic growth. The paper examines key issues in the literature, environmental assessment processes, various legal cases that deal with mining, oil and gas applications, as well as insights from participation in several workshops with small-scale coastal fishing communities where issues on the blue economy were explored. These issues are discussed in relation to the growing literature on inclusive governance and integration of social justice and equity principles as foundational for fostering a sustainable and equitable blue economy. We conclude with proposals for embedding environmental sustainability and social justice principles, in a co-created blue economy policy and governance framework for South Africa.

The emergence of independent advocacy services for children and young people has had an impact on promoting the rights of children and young people. Historically, advocacy has been considered an important social work skill underpinned by principles of human rights and social justice. However, the development of independent advocacy and changes in the delivery of health and social care services have had an impact on how far social workers now feel able to directly advocate for service users. This paper interrogates the tensions faced by social workers in managing their advocacy role through a discussion of advocacy in relation to children and young people. By examining the concepts of ‘best interests’ and the welfare of the child the paper considers dilemmas for social workers committed to advocating for children and young people. It argues that if principles of social justice are to be upheld practitioners need to actively consider ways to reclaim a culture of advocacy.

The community development and economic development literatures have evolved largely independently with little recognition of the critical relationship between the two disciplines. This omission is not so obvious when researchers focus on individual components of each discipline in isolation, but upon examination of how community and economic development systems work in theory and practice overall, this shortcoming becomes apparent. A proposed framework illustrates the links between community and economic development capacities, factors, and functions and shows the importance of community development to economic development outcomes. In particular, it focuses on the link between social capital and the outcome of community development and an economic development ready community. The framework provides an overarching paradigm that helps tie together some of the research in the two fields. Using data from a statewide survey, correlation coefficients are calculated, showing the connections between capacity factors, development factors, and development functions. Strong statistical results provide evidence to support the community and economic development framework and validate the use of subjective data.

Nursing, as a human caring science, holds the social responsibility of addressing issues that affect the health of the people it serves on a local, national and international level. Nurses and nursing students may care for people in various international settings including community outreach, health promotion and education, and acute care hospital placements. This chapter addresses key issues that affect nursing practice during international placements including specific considerations for students and nurses, ethical distress, interprofessional collaboration and communication, as well as healing within different cultures. A review of the literature suggests various issues to consider in general for anyone involved in planning ethical and sustainable global health experiences. The planning and organization phase of international placements must consider and explore sustainability, ethical issues, community development and capacity building following fundamental global health responsibilities based on the principles of social justice and human rights.

This study aims to explore the preservation of waqf in Indonesia, which plays a crucial role in supporting social welfare and community development, while considering Pancasila as the state ideology. The research seeks to analyze how Islamic legal principles are integrated into waqf preservation in relation to Pancasila values and to understand the interaction between these two value systems within the national legal framework. The study employs a qualitative analysis method with a literature review approach. Data is gathered through an examination of relevant laws and government regulations, as well as fatwas and guidelines concerning waqf and pancasila. The analysis focuses on evaluating the connection between Islamic principles related to waqf preservation and the implementation of Pancasila values within the Indonesian legal system. The research aims to identify and explain the relationship between Islamic legal principles regarding waqf and Pancasila values and to assess how Pancasila values support and enhance the preservation of waqf in Indonesia. The findings reveal that Pancasila values, particularly the principles of social justice and humanity, align with Islamic principles in the preservation of waqf. Pancasila serves as an ethical framework that supports fair and transparent waqf implementation, ensuring that waqf not only complies with Islamic law but also contributes to sustainable social welfare. The study also identifies that integrating Islamic principles with Pancasila values in waqf management can improve the effectiveness of waqf preservation and strengthen the legal and social foundation in Indonesia.

It is a striking fact that the two leading egalitarian liberals of recent times, John Rawls and Ronald Dworkin, deploy hypothetical reasoning in their somewhat different conceptions of justice. As is well known, Rawls uses the device of the original position in which representatives must choose between candidate principles of social justice – in the first instance, between the principles Rawls favors, the two principles of justice, and utilitarianism. Principles of justice, he argues, are those that would be chosen by representatives charged with the duty of securing their clients’ enjoyment of primary social goods while lacking particular information about their clients’ characteristics, including their socioeconomic class, natural talent, sex, race, and conception of what it means to live well. True, Rawls nests what I shall call the original position argument within a more general moral methodology of “reflective equilibrium” in which we reason about political morality by seeking consistency between our abstract and concrete considered judgments about justice in the light of the leading alternative moral theories available to us. However, the original position argument plays a central role in Rawls's distinctive conception of justice, justice as fairness. He recommends the original position as a thought experiment to be used when theorizing the demands of justice. Just terms of cooperation should be viewed as if they stemmed from an agreement between citizens, but the agreement must be one not reached out of fear or because of one's poor bargaining position. The agreement we are after is a hypothetical agreement: an agreement that would be made by representatives in the original position who were deprived of certain kinds of information the use of which would tend to render the agreement unfair.

Labor problems both nationally and internationally in various countries are a common problem that has never been resolved properly, this happens both in developing and developed countries. Employment problems that occur in various developed and developing countries have different characteristics, this can be influenced by various fields of life in the association of human life in society and influenced by ideology, politics, law, social economy, and culture as well as the influence of the development of globalization which is very increasing and fast. The development of globalization in the field of technology and information as one that contributes to the field of employment. One of them is seen in the rapid development of globalization today in the life of society nationally and internationally, which has a major influence on the continuous association of human life and has an impact in all fields of activity in the fields of religion, economy, politics, law, social culture, and other activities nationally and internationally. The relationship between employer and employee in Islamic law is based on equal humanity. Although the structure of the company shows a hierarchy between capital owners, shareholders, and workers, Islam emphasizes that both parties are on the same level of humanity. The relationship between employer and employee is seen as a family relationship, partnership, and symbiotic mutualism. However, at present, the implementation of Law No. 6 of 2023 concerning Job Creation, especially in the field of employment, has not been able to fully answer complex problems related to wages. Therefore, alternative solutions are needed that are in accordance with the principles of wages and consider the conditions and needs of workers/laborers in Indonesia. This research aims to apply policy politics, especially related to the concept of implementing Law Number 6 of 2023 concerning Manpower from the perspective of Social Justice and Humanitarian Ethics. The implementation of the labor wage system must pay attention to the principles of justice and balance. The wages provided must be adequate to meet the needs of workers and their families, as well as provide security and protection for labor. The results show that the implementation of the Job Creation Law requires policy adjustments at the regional level through Regional Regulations that consider the economic capabilities of local companies. In the context of policy politics, the imbalance between the number of workers received and the ability of companies to fulfill wage obligations has the potential to trigger structural conflicts between companies and workers. In the perspective of Islamic politics, the relationship between employers and workers is built on the principles of social justice and human equality. Islam asserts that although there is a structural hierarchy within the company - such as capital owners, shareholders and workers - all parties are morally equal as human beings. This relationship is ideally based on the values of partnership, solidarity and symbiotic mutualism, which are in line with the principles of social justice. Therefore, wage system policies must ensure that no party is disadvantaged or feels disadvantaged, but rather create harmony and balance of interests between stakeholders. Society is politically viewed as an interconnected entity, where the common welfare becomes a collective responsibility to realize social stability and justice.

Purpose: The aim of the research is to activate the influence of strategic mind to enhance the principle of social responsibility in Dhi Qar Oil Company. Theoretical Framework: Recent literature indicates a growing trend towards applying the principle of social responsibility, transforming it into a competitive strategy among organizations, especially when possessing strategic mind to devise implementation steps (Khouj, 2020:84). Design/Methodology/Approach:We analyzed the literature and activities advocating for the implementation of the principle of social responsibility using the scale (Schwartz & Carroll, 2003:67) in various organizations. We also examined the impact of possessing a strategic mindset, as measured by (Pisapia et al., 2005:60), on achieving desired outcomes through local, regional, and international research and studies in this regard. Results: The research findings indicate a significant direct positive relationship between strategic mind and social responsibility overall, particularly concerning the economic dimension. A set of recommendations was provided to rectify the nature of these variables in practice, in line with research trends. Research, Practical & Social implications: We propose that organizations integrate the implementation of the principle of responsibility into their future strategies, considering it a competitive advantage to be achieved. Originality/value: The results indicate that the application of the principle of social responsibility has begun to be implemented in organizations, especially those with a strategic vision derived from their strategic mind leaders, achieving levels of satisfaction and approval from stakeholders. Research Type: Research Paper

This study aims to analyze the application of John Rawls’ principles of social justice, specifically the principle of equal basic liberties and the difference principle, in the governance policies of North Sumatra. The objective is to evaluate how these principles are reflected in the policies related to health, education, and infrastructure, and to identify areas needing improvement to achieve greater social justice. The research employs a qualitative approach with a case study design, focusing on the evaluation of specific government programs in public health, education, and regional development. Data were collected through in-depth interviews with government officials, policymakers, and community representatives, as well as analysis of policy documents and statistical data from relevant agencies. The findings indicate significant disparities between urban and rural areas in terms of access to public services and basic facilities, challenging the principle of equal basic liberties. The distribution of resources and public services often favors urban areas, contrary to the difference principle which asserts that inequalities are justifiable only if they benefit the least advantaged. Despite efforts through specific programs, issues such as sustainable funding, resource distribution, and infrastructure maintenance remain significant challenges. The study highlights the need for comprehensive policy reforms to address these disparities. To achieve social justice in line with Rawls’ principles, the North Sumatra government must implement fairer and more sustainable policies. This includes increasing budget allocations for remote areas, improving the distribution of medical and educational personnel, and enhancing infrastructure maintenance strategies. By adopting a more inclusive and participatory approach and committing to reducing social inequalities, the overall quality of life and welfare of all citizens in North Sumatra can be significantly improved. Consistent application of Rawlsian principles can effectively guide the creation of a more just and equitable society.

Social justice has been the animating ideal of democratic governments throughout the 20th century. even those who oppose it recognize its potency. Yet the meaning of social justice remains obscure, and existing theories put forward by political philosophers to explain it have failed to capture the way people in general think about issues of social justice. This book develops a new theory. The author argues that principles of justice must be understood contextually, with each principle finding its natural home in a different form of human association. Because modern societies are complex, the theory of justice must be complex, too. The three primary components in Miller's scheme are the principles of desert, need, and equality. The book uses empirical research to demonstrate the central role played by these principles in popular conceptions of justice. It then offers a close analysis of each concept, defending principles of desert and need against a range of critical attacks, and exploring instances when justice requires equal distribution and attacks, and exploring instances when justice requires equal distribution and when it does not. Finally, it argues that social justice understood in this way remains a viable political ideal even in a world characterized by economic globalization and political multiculturalism. This book will appeal to readers with interest in public policy as well as to students of politics, philosophy, and sociology.

Social work has little tradition as an academic discipline or as a profession in Albania despite the high need for well-trained social workers. Social work in Albania had practically not existed in the past, neither before the WWII nor during socialist regime. It was the deep political and economic changes of the post socialist phase and the support of government and non-government stakeholders, like the Ministry of Labour, Social Affairs, Emigration and Ex- Persecuted People as well as the Grand Valley University, Michigan, which paved the way for the establishment from scratch of the Faculty of Social Work at the University of Tirana in 1992. Two other schools of Social Work were also established in two public universities, one at the University of Shkodra (2005) and another at the Elbasan University (2004). The Albania’s adherence to the Bologna Declaration brought a new reform, initiated in 2005, in which the Departments of Social Work were actively involved and played a critical role to adjust the curricula according to the EU standards.
 However, social work is neither a straight forward academic discipline nor a clear-cut profession. Social work is both, above all it is the safety net of society. The concept of social work derives from the needs of society, which in the end turns towards social mobilization, participation and inclusion. The global definition of social work, set out by the International Federation of Social Workers (IFSW) and approved by its general assembly in 2014, defines Social Work as follows:
 “Social work is a practice-based profession and an academic discipline that promotes social change and development, social cohesion, and the empowerment and liberation of people. Principles of social justice, human rights, collective responsibility and respect for diversities are central to social work. Underpinned by theories of social work, social sciences, humanities and indigenous knowledge, social work engages people and structures to address life challenges and enhance wellbeing”. (http://www.communitycare.co.uk/what-is-the-role-of-social-workers).
 Besides the overall social structure of the society and the legacy from the past, Social Work can’t be developed outside the context of education system in one side and social protection and care system on the other. Hence, this paper brings in some information, which by describing the status of Social Work Education in Albania, tries to further explore its multi-faceted dependency on system of policies and social legacy from the past, alike.
 Keywords: Social Work, Social-Exclusion, Social inclusion

In 2021, the U.S. government unveiled a national climate action plan, signaling the Biden Administration's intention to return the country to negotiations organized under the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. The plan would zero out CO2 emissions from the U.S. energy sector by mid-century. In response, the national opposition party quickly declared its goal to prevent the plan from being implemented, exposing a cycle of American climate policy inaction in which cancel politics are practiced by the Republican Party after the Democratic Party attempts to fashion a national compromise. The pattern has been repeated for decades with a common result: U.S. failure to sustain a responsive national policy to the climate crisis. However, while the U.S. ‘hothouse’ of national policy conflict is unmoved by overwhelming evidence of American impact in the global greenhouse, a third party (led by alliances of social movements with state and local governments) has emerged that is aggressively designing, enacting and enforcing responsive policies far exceeding the aims of a national plan that appears to have no future. We offer a theory to explain American national climate policy inaction and its contestation by an American “polycentric” counterparty, arguing that polycentric success in this contest can be traced to its focus on principles of social justice and moral responsibility to mobilize social change and to gauge its effectiveness. We offer supporting empirical findings of the power of this polycentric counterparty to transform U.S. energy-climate-society relations.

This scientific article is devoted to the study of the influence of social responsibility (CSR) on the competitiveness of enterprises. The study of the competitiveness of enterprises and their products is the subject of attention of leading scientists both abroad and in Ukraine. However, in the conditions of the modern economic environment, the improvement of competitiveness is achieved through the implementation of the principles of corporate social responsibility. Following the principles of social responsibility, business ensures sustainable development, takes responsibility for solving some social problems, easing the burden on relevant state bodies, and establishes relationships with potential consumers of their goods and services.That is, as a result of such interaction, everyone gets what they want: people –an improvement in the quality of life, the state –a reduction of problems, which means a more stable situation in the country, for the company it is a positive reputation that gives reliable partners, increased profits, assistance from the state and a certain power over important processes in the country.Abroad, this practice is already fixed at the legislative level and is more the rule than the exception. The companies' goal is not just to make a profit, but to respond in a timely manner to the needs of citizens, partners, and the environment.Analyzing the theoretical aspects of social responsibility and its relationshipwith competitiveness, the article examines the role of CSR in the formation of a positive image of the company and the attraction and retention of the client base. Strategies for implementing socially responsible management and the interaction of management and employees in this process are being studied. This article is aimed at deepening the understanding of the role of social responsibility in the modern business environment and its impact on the competitiveness of companies

Judicial administration of justice through reasoned interpretation, application and clarification of legal principles and rules is among the oldest paradigms of constitutional justice. The principles of procedural justice underlying investor-state arbitration remain controversial, especially if confidentiality and party autonomy governing commercial arbitration risk neglecting adversely affected third parties and public interests. There are also concerns that rule-following and formal equality of foreign investors and home states may not ensure substantive justice in the settlement of investment disputes unless arbitrators and courts take more seriously their customary law obligation of settling disputes in conformity with human rights obligations of governments and other principles of justice calling for judicial balancing of all private and public interests affected by the dispute. The constitutional task of judges to apply the law and settle disputes in conformity with principles of justice may require reviewing whether judicial reasoning remains compatible with redistributive principles of case-specific equity, social justice and corrective justice.