Title: An Investigation of Swedish Aid Discourse on Sustainable Development
Abstract: This study begins in the understanding of sustainable development as a complex matter open for interpretation, and continues in the notion that different dimensions of sustainability create different values that have different goals; meaning that they will sometimes unite, and sometimes collide and lead to trade-offs. The aim for this study is to add to the understanding of this matter through an investigation of The Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (Sida). The purpose is to look at policies of economic growth and environmental and climate issues in order to form an interpretation of the agency’s discourse on sustainable development. The study continues to an analysis of whether the dimensions of economic sustainability and environmental sustainability seem to be in conflict or not. The study concludes that Sida does include a multidimensional approach in its development cooperation for sustainable development as the agency seems to understand that the economic, environmental and socio-cultural systems are dependent on one another. The study also concludes that the answer to the question of whether there are any contradictions between economic sustainability and environmental sustainability is that it depends on the interpretation of the concept of sustainable development. Based on certain theories, contradictions can be identified, based on others they cannot. Finally, the study concludes that Sida’s discourse on sustainable development certainly is a matter of compromise as the agency is trying to promote economic development while at the same time supporting the inclusion of the socio-cultural and environmental dimensions of sustainable development.
Publication Year: 2014
Publication Date: 2014-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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