Human Scale Development Research Articles

Supporting civic engagement in German energy cooperatives – Transdisciplinary research based on the reflection of individual needs

Civic engagement is currently playing a major role in the transformation of European energy systems. In Germany, citizen-driven renewable energy cooperatives (RECs) are often presented as pioneers of change and as models for the development of energy initiatives within Europe. Current research on RECs focuses mainly on entrepreneurial adaptations and innovations; what is generally missing from the research, however, is a detailed consideration of the human dimensions of this engagement. In view of this, the present paper proposes applying the needs-oriented Human Scale Development Approach (HSDA) as a means of supporting civic engagement within a transdisciplinary research framework. It is argued that the needs perspective can be helpful in developing new strategies that support initiatives in their objective to remain stable and robust over the long term. The empirical part of the paper presents three case studies of German RECs which (1) explore the challenges encountered by active members in their everyday organizational efforts, (2) describe the potential benefits from their involvement, and (3) identify factors that encourage civic engagement. The results indicate that the challenges are inhibiting factors which not only jeopardize the groups’ shared objectives but also adversely influence the emotional well-being of those who are actively involved.

Human Scale Energy Services: Untangling a ‘golden thread’

Prioritising human well-being while avoiding further damage to the planet is a key challenge in the era of climate change. This paper examines the role of energy as an intermediary between climate change and socio-economic outcomes, with the ultimate goal of identifying ways of decoupling human well-being from energy use. Building on Max-Neef’s “Human Scale Development” framework and conceptualisation of human needs, we propose a novel community-level participatory approach to identify connections between energy services on the one hand and human need satisfaction on the other. This approach then enables communities to collectively consider and propose alternative ways to provide energy services. We compare the outcomes and reflect on the process of two exploratory workshops, undertaken in an urban and a rural area in Medellín (Colombia). Our results indicate that these communities view energy services as satisfiers of human needs, with significant differences between the communities. Furthermore, our approach enables the communities to broaden the solution space of energy service provisioning possibilities, thus constituting a promising alternative to the top-down technocratic perspectives currently prevalent in research and policy. We argue that this type of bottom-up approach is necessary to address the complex sustainability challenge of living well within environmental limits.

Estéticas comunitarias y colaborativas y desarrollo a escala humana

<p>La actividad de los artistas plásticos y visuales, así como cualquier actividad humana está inscrita en un determinado modelo de desarrollo de la sociedad, y esto implica desde el punto de vista de la enseñanza universitaria que es necesario fomentar capacidades para reflexionar acerca de las diferentes maneras en que nuestro quehacer profesional se insertará en la vida social, económica y cultural, favoreciendo un determinado modelo de desarrollo.</p><p>Es verdad que la continua expansión en las últimas décadas de las prácticas artísticas hacia nuevos espacios de intercambio y nuevos modos de hacer ha puesto de manifiesto una mayor preocupación por el lugar, los contextos de intervención/emplazamientos y por ende por lo local.</p><p>Sin embargo, desde el punto de vista de las implicaciones de la globalización, ponemos en consideración un acercamiento a las teorías del desarrollo, de modo que cualquier práctica artística, pero especialmente las vertientes que buscan interactuar en contextos sociales, se planteen de forma crítica, el papel, la incidencia y la responsabilidad que tienen en el apoyo, redefinición o construcción de un modelo de vida, dentro de su sociedad.</p><p>A lo largo de nuestra investigación doctoral, en la que hemos puesto en diálogo áreas tan disímiles como las estéticas comunitarias y colaborativas y el codesarrollo, hemos identificado posibles zonas de contacto interdisciplinar entre la teoría del Desarrollo a Escala Humana (DEH) del economista chileno Manfred Max-Neef y algunos aspectos transversales que complejizan el entramado entre las prácticas artísticas contemporáneas y sus actores, a saber, lo contextual, lo relacional y lo representacional. Este texto explicará en detalle los fundamentos del DEH para alimentar desde él una serie de preguntas y reflexiones sobre los modos en que las prácticas artísticas inciden a niveles micro y macro en sus contextos de intervención.</p>

Servicios ecosistémicos y bienestar local: caso de estudio sobre productos de medicina natural en Panguipulli, sur de Chile

This research explores how wellbeing is built through social practices related to the use of products of natural medicine (PNM) in local communities of southern Chile. Research inquiry involved the reconstruction of life-history of relevant local stakeholders, particularly through in-depth interviews (life-history method). The analysis relies on the social action theory, human scale development theory and the ecosystem services approach. Results indicate that, in this territory, wellbeing is socially constructed through everyday practices within the family unit, in a private atmosphere (e.g., the transmission of knowledge between parents and sons/daughters when they recollect, recognize and use medical herbs). Wellbeing is also built on another level, through social practices that are more public, such as the recollection and processing of medicine-plants carried out by the Intercultural Medicine Program. The social action theory allowed to observe social practices from everyday life, the ecosystem services approach helped to observe and understand natural resources, strictly related to local satisfaction strategies, becoming this way a theoretical anchor to understand well-being from the humane scale development perspective. In this sense, the main satisfactors identified were: the Inter-cultural Health Program, the Inter-Cultural Board, the cultural agents and the family unit. The Inter-Cultural Health Program is synergistically related to several needs, while the Inter-Cultural Board (discussion opportunity) is exclusively related to understanding and participation needs. Finally, the cultural agents and the family unit are related to the needs of affection, idleness and freedom, among others.

Sustainable development in times of economic crisis: A needs-based illustration from Granada (Spain)

This paper illustrates the importance of a balanced approach to sustainable development through the analysis of needs-based workshops in Granada, a Spanish city hit hard by the recent economic crisis. The workshops followed Max-Neef's Human Scale Development proposal that highlights the interdependence of social, economic and environmental systems and stresses the centrality of participatory processes and human needs satisfaction. This understanding of human development aligns with the approach to sustainable development popularised by the World Commission on Environment and Development in 1987, which called for the satisfaction of the needs of both current and future generations together with a balanced articulation of the social, economic and environmental dimensions of development.In practice, and even more so in times of economic crisis, governments are seen to prioritise the economic dimension over the environmental and the societal dimensions through their primary focus on policies to foster economic growth. However, people experiencing unemployment and poor economic prospects may not be in favour of this unbalanced, economic-driven approach. In Granada, participants in needs-based workshops did not emphasise the importance of economic prosperity and job creation when discussing policy goals and interventions to improve needs satisfaction. Economic interventions, such as providing universal coverage of basic needs, were seen as interdependent with personal and institutional transformations aimed at empowering workers and promoting citizen participation, and with environmental initiatives concerning the conservation of local natural spaces and the spread of urban gardening.

Desarrollo a escala humana: óptica de vida de tres individuos con discapacidad

<p align="justify">El artículo ahonda en el desarrollo a escala humana de tres personas con situación de discapacidad (PCD) y en esta, desde su conciencia crítica como sujetos. El objetivo es develar las necesidades y satisfactores de las personas es situación de discapacidad del área rural del municipio de Popayán, con base en el modelo de desarrollo a escala humana. Mediante un abordaje cualitativo, se observan y describen los relatos proporcionados por tres personas en situación de discapacidad física, por medio de entrevistas semiestructuradas que utilizan la matriz propuesta del desarrollo a escala humana. <em>Resultados</em>: los satisfactores que responden a las necesidades humanas fundamentales en la diversidad son: trabajo, independencia, autonomía, movilidad, acceso al sistema de salud, familia y religión, que resuelven hacer-subsistencia, ser-protección, tener-protección, tener-afecto, hacer-afecto, tener-participación, hacer-participación y tener-identidad como necesidades humanas fundamentales. <em>Conclusiones</em>: las tres personas en situación de discapacidad develan, bajo la estrategia del desarrollo a escala humana, necesidades y satisfactores que potencian y fortalecen su ser en el autorreconocimiento, su espiritualidad y su familia, generando sinergias y vínculos con su entorno e instituciones.</p>

THE SOCIAL LIFE OF HISTORICAL NEIGHBOURHOODS: CASE STUDY OF A MIDDLE EASTERN CITY, SHIRAZ

Historic neighbourhoods have usually shaped on an organic structure in regard to their residents’ requirements. Due to the limitations in mobility, historical neighbourhoods were usually able to perform as a small city comprising all the elements required for satisfying physical, social, and cultural needs. This paper seeks to explore the patterns of social life in the traditional settlements in Shiraz and investigate the elements that have shaped the social life of these neighbourhoods. Exploring the social structure of historic neighbourhoods may introduce new approaches to the design of contemporary suburbs and neighbourhoods in terms of their vitality and social life. A review of the literature and comparing it to the historical core in Shiraz shows that there are five contributing factors to the social life of historic neighbourhoods in Shiraz, including density, human scale development, walkability, mixed land-use and qualities of public spaces. Exploring the features of public places and communal facilities indicates that the fine social performance of these settlements is rooted in their compatibility and adaptability to the environment, the residents’ requirements and culture.

MAPPING THE DIVIDE BETWEEN EDUCATION AND CULTURAL MANAGEMENET: Transformations in the process of sustainability

Analyzing cultural sector reports and initiatives in Portugal in relationship to recent reductions in cultural funding, this paper critiques the divide between discourses for knowledge economy development, sustainability, the educational preparation for art and cultural managers and its sector employment. Conjectural discourse is used as a tool to speculate on the basis for a new palimpsest that includes field-based thinking and human development through creativity to integrating cultural development skills into business management programs, and transform cultural decision-making at the EU policy level. Referencing the concepts of umwelten from biologist Jakob von Uexküll, and Human Scale Development from Chilean economist Manfred Max-neef, the paper argues for the benefits of instability and the need for the redesign of management education to integrate culture and skill sets for managers emphasizing creativity. Following upon the work of Max-Neef (1991) and the Dag Hammarskjöld Foundation (2014) investigation of human needs satisfaction through a transdisciplinary approach to structural transformation of economic systems, different educational, policy, and strategic initiatives for cultural development can be developed. By creating epistemological shifts in worldview and strengthening the human capacity for creativity in education, the current miasma in cultural unsustainability can be productively inverted.

Addressing Needs in the Search for Sustainable Development: A Proposal for Needs-Based Scenario Building

This study presents the first assessment of how an approach based on meeting fundamental human needs can assist regional planning. It uses the Human-scale Development methodology, based on fundamental human needs as a theoretical and methodological framework for scenario building. It offers a structured approach on how non-monetary values and practices (i.e. satisfiers or ways to satisfy needs) can help to open up the planning process, highlighting a regional conflict. The study presents three dimensions of needs to address planning challenges. The data is taken from a case study of a deliberative process for regional planning in Western Europe. The relevance lies in the ways we can learn from individual values and practices, that when shared with others, (1) help to diagnose behaviours and trends toward environmentalism; (2) foster listening and understanding of people's sameness and differences that reduce conflict; and (3) provide a structured tool which predicts society dynamics and develops integrated solutions that facilitate sustainable regional development.

Introduction to the Human Scale Development Methodology Improved by Bucciarelli-Alessi's Innovative Methodological Procedure

The present work represents an effort to improve and innovate Manfred Max-Neef’s Human Scale Development methodology. More specifically, the innovative aspects conceived and applied by the authors concern: 1) the creation of an original procedure (question - discussion - key words - definition of the key words) to be followed in order to fill in the grids of the Consolidated Negative Matrix, of the Consolidated Positive Matrix, of the Negative Synthesis Matrix, and of the Positive Synthesis Matrix; 2) the addiction of the axiological category of sustainability to the traditional following nine categories: subsistence, protection, affection, understanding, participation, idleness, creation, identity and freedom. In particular, concerning the point No. 1, it is important to stress that the original procedure here presented to fill in the grids of the Matrixes makes the innovative Human Scale Development methodology able to be used a) for getting comparable data, b) for developing a new index for measuring social well-being as well as the efficiency of local social policies, and c) for introducing the Human Scale Development into the scientific fields of the Experimental Economics (field experiments) and of Agent-based computational Economics (ACE). Finally, this work represents a practical tool to be used both to explain how the Human Scale Development methodology works, and to teach the seminar coordinators about how to conducting the workshops based on the Human Scale Development itself.

The impact of stroke aphasia on health and well‐being and appropriate nursing interventions: an exploration using the Theory of Human Scale Development

This paper considers the impact of aphasia on health and well-being and provides suggestions for appropriate nursing interventions. Background. Effective communication is essential to holistic care and positive outcomes for individuals affected by aphasia. When verbal communication is absent, nurses fail to adequately use alternative strategies so that the standard of nurse/patient communication is frequently poor. This is a discursive paper which reviews relevant literature and uses the Theory of Human Scale Development as a framework for discussion. The Theory of Human Scale Development is introduced. This theory emphasises that quality of life depends as much upon self-actualisation and relation building as on physical health. The theory is used within the discussion to highlight the significance of communication to quality of life and how its loss has profound psychological and social consequences. Aphasia results in 'loss of self'. The situation is exacerbated by inadequate healthcare communication strategies. Suggestions are offered regarding more appropriate strategies. Efficacy of family input is considered; nursing competence regarding language practice therapies is discussed, and the 'quest approach' is explored. Aphasia has a negative impact on relationships by denying access to support networks, which results in isolation. The individual's predicament is worsened by negative nursing responses. Positive nursing strategies, which alleviate effects of aphasia on individuals' social health, are investigated. Concept analysis and self-awareness exercises as methods of enhancing compassion skills are explored. The social model of disability is discussed to highlight the benefits to individuals of environmental adaptations. The social benefits of aphasia-group affiliation are discussed. The paper concludes by emphasising that fundamental human needs involve social and psychological as well as physical aspects. Nursing interventions must address all needs to provide holistic care in its fullest sense.

Subsistence and Protection Needs of the Elderly Living in Katutura, Windhoek (Namibia)

This article is based on data obtained from an investigation of the needs of the elderly living in the suburbs of Katutura, Windhoek, Namibia. The theoretical framework utilized in this study is the human scale development approach of Manfred Max-Neef. Primary data were collected by means of face-to-face interviews with 383 elderly men and women living Katutura. It was found that many of the subsistence and protection needs of the elderly are not being met and that although the elderly are increasing in number, they continue to be a forgotten population.

Realising the ‘wellbeing dividend’: An exploratory study using the Human Scale Development approach

Despite claims about the existence of the ‘wellbeing dividend’, that sustainable and reduced consumption is compatible with increased wellbeing, there is little evidence that this dividend is being realised. The present research illustrates how through workshops addressing the cultural, economic, political and personal factors that impede or promote human need satisfaction, a given society can unravel its own pathway towards sustainability and wellbeing. This study draws on the wellbeing literature, particularly Max-Neef's approach to human needs and satisfiers. It uses an analysis of group discussions in Lleida, a medium-sized Catalonian city, to show how unsustainable consumption is associated with local hurdles for actualising needs and how sustainable consumption is linked to local descriptions of the utopian, need-actualising society. The manner of progressing towards need actualisation and sustainability is also addressed by participants; who identify the changes in norms, institutions and personal identity that need to be in place. The analysis reveals the interrelatedness of satisfiers and argues for a systemic perspective to address social transition towards sustainability and wellbeing at the local level.

Patients' needs and satisfiers: applying human scale development theory on end-of-life care

This review considers how needs-based care models have been recently discussed in the scientific literature and proposes the human scale development (HSD) theory to achieve high-quality care (HQC) at the end-of-life (EOL). Comprehensive needs-based care models have been developed among terminally ill cancer patients focusing mostly on HQC at the EOL. To achieve this goal, the implementation of several assessment tools has triggered discussions regarding alternatives for addressing the multidimensional nature of EOL care. Uncertainty has been revealed on several research limitations such as unclear definitions, lack of knowledge of healthcare professionals, psychometric problems, patient burden and reported unmet needs. However, there is general consensus about the need to uphold EOL interventions on needs-based-holistic models in order to accomplish HQC at the EOL. Patients, families and healthcare professionals become part of a process that aims to embrace a unique 'world': the patients' subjectivity, his or her own needs and resources capable of meeting those needs. During the last years, some interesting research has outlined and discussed principal broad domains that geared needs-based (patient-centered) care models; however, reported 'gaps' between desired and current practice in the provision of care reflected the complexity of human needs, specifically at the EOL. As regarding fundamental human needs, an HSD theory exists and it may contribute to improve HQC at the EOL.

Towards a systemic development approach: Building on the Human-Scale Development paradigm

Since its inception, the scope of inquiry within modern economics has been overall reduced to the chrematistic, market-centred dimension of the economic process. This has been reflected in the very way it shaped the modern idea of development which, more and more, has been represented in monetary terms to the point of being equated to chrematistic growth altogether. This reductionism has been severely criticized for various reasons, mostly related to the ignorance of the complex, multidimensional, social, cultural and psychological motives and aspirations of human beings, ignoring as well crucial environmental and ecological dimensions within and by means of which the economic process unfolds. One fundamental early contribution to the re-conceptualization of the economic development process in terms of well-being from a systemic perspective came about with the Human-Scale development approach (H-SD) in the 1980s. Central to this paradigm is a systemic re-conceptualization of human needs and an attempt to place this discussion at the centre of the development debate. It suggested a recovery of the oikonomy in its original classical meaning, as a means for achieving better well-being beyond the chrematistics narrow scope. This theory presents a very wide outlook for its theoretical and practical applications and in this paper we will try to build on H-SD's original contribution. We begin this by briefly outlining what can be termed the chrematistic turn within both modern economics' theory and practice at the dawn of modern capitalism. In the second section the main aspects of the H-SD approach are briefly presented and discussed. The last sections are devoted to propose some methodological extensions to the original H-SD version suggesting innovative ways of enlarging its scope through the development and improvement of its evaluation tools. Thereby we hope to enhance its application within its traditional context as well as indicating means for applying it to other fields as development policies, strategies or eventually, appraisal of new technologies.

Lessons from Andiamo, Malawi, on grassroots development and globalisation from below

There is growing awareness that globalisation and an increase in life opportunities are not directly and exponentially related for the majority of youth. This article highlights lessons on the bridging of this ‘great divide’ gleaned from Andiamo, a ‘campus’ in Malawi, southern Africa. It describes a case study of this cooperative, detailing its conception, its early and current position and its sustainability. Andiamo is presented as a significant example of human-scale development and globalisation from below.

From Here to Utopia: Running a human-scale development workshop on the Gold Coast, Australia

Max-Neef's theory of human-scale development (HSD) directs attention to an issues-based, locality specific agenda through self-identification of community issues by local people. This paper reports on a two-day HSD workshop run on the Gold Coast where an eclectic group of 20 participants worked through Max-Neef's framework to diagnose their communities' current reality, visualise what their community could be and discuss how to 'build bridges' between the current reality and their Utopian community. This work is part of a broader research programme looking at participatory community development.