Richard Estes, MSW, DSW

Professor

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Research - Current Projects

At the Crossroads: Current Trends and Dilemmas in International Development

Project Description:
The world social situation is characterized by extraordinary contradictions. Despite impressive social progress for some countries since 1970, much of the planet's social landscape has been marred by recurrent intra-regional wars, civil conflicts, chronic human rights violations, corrupt governments, deepening poverty, and growing numbers of political and economic refugees. Population growth continues to be rapid as is the rate of urban migration. And the planet's physical landscape has been seriously compromised as well; today, people everywhere are struggling against the effects of deforestation, exhausted soil and animal resources, recurrent floods and other natural disasters and the social consequences of depleted mineral and other natural resources.

The response of the world's governments to the current social situation reflects a more optimistic view of the future. Their priorities emphasize the need for: 1) a better balance between social and economic development; 2) a renewed commitment to people and people's organizations as being at the center of the development process; 3) the formulation of new development paradigms that better reflect the planet's diverse cultures, traditions, and histories; 4) increased protection of the planet's fragile biodiversity and dwindling natural resources; 5) increased attention to the special needs of historically disadvantaged population groups, but especially those of women and children; 6) the eradication of absolute poverty and other forms of "mal-development" as soon practical; 7) the enhancement of popular participation at all levels of social organization; and 8) more equitable sharing of the planet's abundant resources

The focus of this multi-year effort is on assessing the planet's successes and failures in responding to the basic needs of people. More specifically, the project seeks to: 1) report the results obtained through application of a statistically weighted version of the author's Index of Social Progress (WISP) to an analysis of worldwide development trends since 1970; 2) identify the planet's major 30-year social development successes and failures; 3) compare the major social development trends occurring in each of the world's regions with one another; 4) identify the world's social development leaders (SLs) and socially less developed countries (SLDCs); 5) identify and briefly discusses the major social, political, and economic forces that are likely to influence international development toward the year 2010 and beyond; and, 6) provide baseline data against which future international developments may be assessed.

Project Dates:
1997-2003

Project Staff:
Richard J. Estes, Principal Investigator

Research Sites:
International comparative study of social performance in 163 countries

Related Publications:
Estes, Richard J. (1984). The Social Progress of Nations. New York: Praeger Publishers, ISBN #0?03?059582?7. [Chinese edition published in 1989.]

Estes, Richard J. (1992). Towards a Social Development Strategy for the ESCAP Region (with Edward Van Roy). Bangkok: United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific, ST/ESCAP/1170.

Estes, Richard J. (1997). "The World Social Situation: Social Work's Contribution to International Development," in Edwards, Richard (Editor). Encyclopedia of Social Work. Supplement to the 19th Edition. (Washington: National Association of Social Workers). pp. 343-359.

Estes, Richard J. (1988). Trends in World Social Development: The Social Progress of Nations, 1970-1987. New York: Praeger, ISBN: 0-275-92613-3.

Estes, Richard J. (1998). "Trends in World Social Development, 1970-95: Development Prospects For a New Century" Journal of Developing Societies 14(1):11-39.

Estes, Richard J. (1998). Resources for Social and Economic Development: A Guide to the Scholarly Literature. (Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania School of Social Work).

Estes, Richard J. (2002). "Global change and indicators of social development," in Marie Weil (Editor) Handbook of Community Practice (Beverly Hills CA: Sage Publications)-in press.

Estes, Richard J. (2003). At the Crossroads: Dilemmas in International Development (Westport CT: Greenwood Press)-in preparation.

Project Web Site:
www.sp2.upenn.edu/~restes/praxis.html