Spirituality and Sustainable Development: A Systematic Word Frequency Analysis and an Agenda for Research in Pacific Island Countries

Author:

Luetz Johannes M.123ORCID,Nichols Elizabeth4ORCID,du Plessis Karen5ORCID,Nunn Patrick D.67891011ORCID

Affiliation:

1. Graduate Research School, Alphacrucis University College (AC), Brisbane, QLD 4102, Australia

2. School of Law and Society, University of the Sunshine Coast (USC), Sippy Downs, QLD 4556, Australia

3. School of Social Sciences, University of New South Wales (UNSW), Sydney, NSW 2052, Australia

4. Otago Business School, University of Otago, Dunedin 9016, New Zealand

5. Christian Heritage College, Carindale, QLD 4122, Australia

6. School of Law and Society, Indigenous and Transcultural Research Centre, University of Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia

7. Sustainability Research Centre, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia

8. Australian Centre for Pacific Islands Research, University of the Sunshine Coast, Sunshine Coast, QLD 4556, Australia

9. Faculty of Science, University of Melbourne, Parkville, VIC 3010, Australia

10. Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific, Laucala Bay Campus, Suva, Fiji

11. Faculty of Science & Technology, Solomon Islands National University, Kukum Campus, Honiara P.O. Box R113, Solomon Islands

Abstract

While different in emphasis, spirituality and sustainable development are intertwined concepts that cannot be meaningfully discussed in isolation from each other. This is especially pertinent in Pacific Island countries that are characterised by both high degrees of vulnerability to climate change and high degrees of religious engagement. There is a paucity of research that examines the relationship between spirituality and sustainable development in contemporary human development discourse. To address this gap in the literature, this research employs an inductive and exploratory methodological approach to the study of major development organisations in Australia. It investigates what significance contemporary NGOs ascribe to matters of spirituality in the design and implementation of their community aid and development programming in the Pacific and beyond. To achieve its goal, the study conducts a systematic term frequency analysis in the annual reports of government-funded and independently funded NGOs, both faith-based and secular. It extends previous research by focusing expressly on the intersectionality of sustainable development and spirituality as a fertile space for interdisciplinary inquiry. The findings link development policy and practice more closely to the needs and worldviews of Pacific peoples. A better understanding of the spirituality–sustainability nexus will enable more effective, sustainable, equitable, ethical, and culturally acceptable development programming. Crucially, integrated approaches promise to make ongoing community development programmes and adaptation responses to climate-driven environmental change more effective and sustainable. Finally, it is an important aim of this study to conceptualise various opportunities for future research, thus laying the foundation for an important emergent research agenda.

Funder

Christian Heritage College

Publisher

MDPI AG

Subject

Management, Monitoring, Policy and Law,Renewable Energy, Sustainability and the Environment,Geography, Planning and Development,Building and Construction

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