Social Progress and Sustainable Development

Book excerpt: *Clearly defines the "social" aspect of sustainable development *Suggests steps for international development agencies to mainstream policy Have you ever wondered why the term sustainable development is usually associated with the economic, environmental, and social components, but the social components are the least well defined? Neil Thin explores the diverse meanings of these social components of sustainable development. He offers steps we can take to mainstream social development policy, so we can better plan social progress, communicate about objectives and strategies, and assess social change. He argues that social accountability must be an integrated set of concerns, not a marginalized responsibility of specialists. It must transcend time and spaces, taking into account not only those who are close to us, but distant strangers and future generations as well.