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Paper short abstract

Examines power & vulnerability in development via ethics of care. Argues for care-centered approach prioritizing relational accountability, challenging power hierarchies. Highlights care ethics reshaping development priorities & amplifying marginalized voices for equitable futures.

Paper long abstract

This paper examines the intersection of power and vulnerability in development practices through the lens of ethics of care. In an era of global uncertainties, development interventions often exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, disproportionately impacting marginalized communities. The research critically interrogates how care manifests in development interventions and advocates for a care-centered approach acknowledging vulnerability as intrinsic to human experience. Drawing on care ethics and critical development studies, the paper argues that traditional power hierarchies can be challenged by prioritizing care and relational accountability.

The study explores practical implications for policy and practice, highlighting cases where care ethics have reshaped development priorities and amplified marginalized voices. Centering care can shift development from technocratic fixes toward nurturing sustainable, justice-oriented outcomes. Care ethics can inform more inclusive and equitable development practices, emphasizing participatory methods prioritizing marginalized communities' needs and perspectives.

The paper discusses relational accountability's importance in fostering trust and cooperation between development actors and communities. Care ethics can address entrenched inequities and build resilience against future disruptions. Embedding care into development practices can foster equitable futures and promote just and sustainable development outcomes. This research contributes to the discourse on ethics of care in development practices, emphasizing the need for a nuanced understanding of vulnerability and care.

Keywords: Vulnerability, Ethics of Care, Power Dynamics, Development Practices, Relational Accountability