Paper short abstract:

This paper explores the potential influence of the moral economy in combating climate change and global warming. One major implication of this paper is that shared religious values matter in moderating consumption and thereby combating climate change and environmental degradation.

Paper long abstract:

Abstract: This paper explores the potential influence of the moral economy in combating climate change and global warming. Conventional economics is built upon the idea of managing limited resources to fulfil the maximum possible of unlimited human wants. Many authors are of the view that the theme of maximisation of satisfaction and profit leads to mass consumption and production which degrades the environment, causes poverty and deepens inequality. These factors have been implicated as root causes of climate change and global warming. Conversely, the moral economy is believed to advocate sustainability and promote the well-being of future generations. The paper uses quantitative method to assess the effect of shared religious values in moderating consumption, reducing waste and ultimately promoting a sustainable environment. The quantitative data used for this empirical research was collected through a questionnaire administered on 200 individuals working within Birmingham and the West Midlands. A measurement and structural model was formulated through adopting the structural equation modelling approach (using AMOS version 18). One major implication of this paper is that shared religious values matter in moderating consumption and thereby combating climate change and environmental degradation.

Keywords: shared values, environment, consumption, moral economy

Paper short abstract:

How can voluntary forms of giving and donating in India help development practioners involved in poverty and social inequality in India? The presentation focuses on faith-based forms of donating and social assistance in the form of philanthropy in India and its potential towards development India.

Paper long abstract:

This paper will examine how mainstream development thinking in India the context of poverty and inequality centered around the formal state (Corbridge & Shah 2013; Harriss-White 2003; Dréz & Sen 2013; Sen 2001) has not given significant attention to the philanthropic sector has been found to be more successful than the formal welfare state on poverty alleviation. Philanthropic activities in the form of generous, voluntary giving, and donating from the corporate sector in India and transnational Indians has increased manifold demanding western style

transparency and impact on social inequality in India. These practices of voluntary giving has far reaching

impact in development programmes than the Indian formal state (Hamdy et al 2016).

In the paper, I will be focussing on TIrumala Tirupati Devasthalam (TTD), a very famous pilgrim site in India. It recovers almost 40,000 devotees everyday who make a continuous and uninterrupted flow of donation which can account to a million dollar daily. The paper will discuss whether these religious forms of donations can be redirected towards social development and what are the structural hindrances. The district where the pilgrim site is located, Chitoor District, is considered one of the most backward regions in the country and yet the pilgrim is considered to be the Rome of East due to amount to voluntary forms of donation that make the place very wealthy which is in contrast to the poor social development in the region.

Paper short abstract:

The Extreme Poverty Model helps tens of thousands of people out of distress and insecurity while building spiritual capital and dignity. This paper offers examples of faith principles applied to various poverty reduction settings and a case study from Bangladesh

Paper long abstract:

While development agencies struggle with ethical issues and the tension between free markets and the moral economy, Islamic Relief has refined its Extreme Poverty Model which has helped tens of thousands of people lift themselves out of distress and insecurity while building their spiritual capital and dignity. By rooting development in in their own experience and drawing on what is around them, people have stayed secure long after Islamic Relief has moved on.

This paper describes the model with examples from various settings and a case study of integrated work in Bangladesh. It shows that with careful needs analysis, cash transfers and livelihoods training, and loan funds managed by self help groups, income generation activities prosper so family incomes rise, education and health levels improve and dignity is restored. Families an communities become more resilient to shocks and disasters and gains are sustained over years.

We show that in Bangladesh and other countries, working with faith principles can address the well-being and holistic imperatives of development while also providing a uniquely cost-effective, sustainable and scalable model for increasing physical assets, reducing systemic barriers and building resilience for some of the poorest in the world.

Paper short abstract:

Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork with the Karen people in northern Thailand, my paper analyses intergenerational responsibility in the light of Catholic social teaching, in particular the 'principle of the common good'.

Paper long abstract:

Based on long-term ethnographic fieldwork with the Karen people in northern Thailand, this paper analyses intergenerational responsibility in the light of Catholic social teaching, in particular the 'principle of the common good'. The paper focuses on children and young people´s learning and working activities to understand the Karen people`s conceptions of the common good expressed through networks of giving and receiving within families and communities at the local, regional and international levels of society. The conclusion derives implications from my findings for the Sustainable Development goal of universal access to education and inclusive societies and suggests how the study may be relevant for educational professionals as well as religious representatives.

Paper short abstract:

Islamic teachings have always emphasised social and economic justice and mutual aid, support and sharing now eroded by the spread of neoliberalism and consumerism in Muslim societies. This paper will examine alternative development paradigms to the neoliberal rationalised by Muslim elites

Paper long abstract:

Although Islamic teachings have never been anti-business or anti-profit, the y are clearly anti-excessive profit, exploitation and monopolies.

Most development programmes in Muslim countries do not take into account the Islamic concepts of mutual responsibility, moderation and sharing having surrendered to the ideology and economic policies of neoliberalism including privatisation of what should be the in public domain. This has resulted in huge socio-economic disparities, the reaction to which in some cases has been violent and in other cases resulted in the rise of Trump-like figures but in Muslim socieites unconstrained by any constitutional limitations on their power often validated by Muslim scholars.

There has been a lack of alternatives to the dominant paradigm except for halal business and shariah compliant financing but much of this is, if we are honest is in the neoliberal and consumerist mould and only superficially Islamic. Development programmes based on Islamic moral and ethical principles to promote social business, Islamic qard hasan micro-finance and waqf would foster equality, solidarity and mutual aid. The socio-economic, cultural and political problems facing most Muslims today cannot be solved by neoliberal approaches that have also failed in the west. A moral approach is needed which will help restore the ideals that underpin social relations in Islam—the chief of which is taḍāmon or solidarity. In Tunisia Ennahda has a vision of "compassionate capitalism balancing freedom of enterprise with the ideals of social justice and equal opportunity.