Sustainable Development: The Challenge for Community Development

This article describes the role of five of the most prominent areas of inquiry in shaping the definition and meaning of sustainable development as an emerging development paradigm and social movement. The focal areas are the environmental movement, the women's movement, concern for over-population, a critique of the development models from the last half century, and new indicators for measuring social progress. Finally, a challenge is offered to those working at the community level to explore the guidance from the sustainable development movement that will raise moral questions about the direction and results of development projects. This challenge calls for shaping local development projects that will be friendly to both women and men, to families, to the environment and to future generations.