Resources
As the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity participates in discourses concerned with the advancement of civilization, it is attempting to document key insights and perspectives that emerge from its collaboration with diverse individuals and organizations who share a common commitment to the betterment of society. The documents below, which have been written for this purpose, may be downloaded and printed for individual use. These documents are not for further distribution, in electronic or printed formats, without prior permission of the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity.
Science, Religion and Development: Some Initial Considerations
This document articulates an initial set of concepts and principles that are guiding the Institute’s exploration of the complementary and constructive contributions that both science and religion must make to processes of social and economic development.
Download
Advancing Toward the Equality of Women and Men
This working document probes issues that lie at the heart of the struggle for the equality of women and men. The insights and perspectives offered in the document arise from the Institute’s efforts to generate systematic learning and gain new insights, in collaboration with others, about the cause of gender equality.
DownloadOccasional Papers on Insights from Practice
One area of research the Institute for Studies in Global Prosperity is pursuing is the systematization of insights gained from practice. This research is part of the Institute’s efforts to identify patterns that are unfolding as individuals and communities strive to apply unifying and constructive principles to their everyday lives, endeavor to solve the challenges they face and build a desirable society. The documents in this series strive to build on a growing body of research related to development thought and practice that explores the positive influence that spiritual principles have on endeavors aimed at the empowerment of grassroots communities to become as the protagonists of their own progress.
Science, Religion, and Development: Promoting a Discourse in India, Brazil, and Uganda
This document brings together the experience and insights of diverse groups of people – academics, policy makers, and development practitioners – who have contributed to the discourse on science, religion, and development on three continents. The document is a modest contribution to the formidable task of rethinking some of the basic concepts that inform development thinking.
Download
May Knowledge Grow in our Hearts: Applying Spiritual Principles to Development Practice
This document shares insights the Institute has gained into the nature of development work that is cognizant of both the spiritual and material dimensions of reality. The case of Seva Mandir illustrates how an organization can employ the methods of science and the principles of religion together while working for a more humane and just world.
Download
Hope and Resilience: The Application of Spiritual Principles to Community Life
This document expands upon research related to the spiritual dimension of development endeavors, generating further insights into how communities make use of concepts and principles, such as the oneness of humankind and humanity’s interconnectedness with nature, in their efforts to contribute towards the common good. This study focuses on the creation of strong networks of social support and the management of water-related challenges within the context of informal settlements, which provide a rich setting to illustrate the link between beliefs and interactions in a shared geographical space.
Download