Why Love Matters ─ Values in Governance

As our current systems of decision-making are increasingly unable to meet the global challenges of climate change, resource depletion, poverty, healthcare, economic instability and global violence, the contributors in this book make a radical proposal for an innovative form of governance that is based on core human values such as love, compassion, care, justice and dignity. Arising from a concern that the «old paradigm» of alienation, consumerism, selfishness and exploitation is damaging for humankind and the family of Earth, the book postulates that a new way of being must be in place so that intrinsic values of caring for others should underpin the intent of our decisions at personal, regional, national, international and global levels. With illustrative references and examples in fields of politics, economy, health and peace, the content of this book argues forcefully that Love, with a capital L, matters in governance, where values can serve as the basis to transform human consciousness about international institutions, community relationships and individual actions. Why Love Matters provides an important introductory text to students of global governance, management studies, political economics, international relations and peace studies, and equally offers illuminating and instructive ideas to leaders, managers and practitioners who are interested in what values-based governance means and looks like and how to go about it in practice.

Scherto Gill (PhD) is a Research Fellow at the Guerrand-Hermes Foundation for Peace and Visiting Research Fellow at the University of Sussex. She writes in the fields of education, peace and dialogue. Her most recent publications including Rethinking Secondary Education (2013) and Religion, Spirituality and Human Flourishing (2014).
David Cadman is a Quaker writer and a Visiting Professor at University College London and University of Maryland, and an Honorary Professor of Practice at the University of Wales Trinity St. David. Among other positions, he is a Senior Fellow of The Prince’s Foundation of Building Community and a Trustee of the Prince’s School of Traditional Arts. His most recent publications include Love Matters (2014).