The institutional picture is complex and dynamic, this book will review the institutional context for contemporary religion, focusing on its transnational implications. This is indeed a rich topic, but it has not been treated in anything like a systematic fashion. A remarkable array of institutions are involved, many with extensive transnational structures. They take many forms, some specific to individual faiths (with Catholic institutions a complex in themselves but the most highly developed), denominations, or faiths, some with specific substantive purposes (Habitat for Humanity, Islamic Relief, for example), while others aim to promote peace and social justice through interfaith action. The United Nations and other institutions, the European Union, the World Economic Forum, and the World Bank, for example, have grappled with how to relate to both institutions and issues involving religion. However, serious gaps in knowledge and understanding have hindered efforts to navigate these institutions and this has played significant roles in tensions and failures to take advantage of opportunities for partnership, for example in achieving the Millennium Development goals. The new forms that religious institutions are taking, their fit with human rights and democratic ideals, their changing nature in plural societies, are a highly relevant part of the global institutional picture, and this volume aims to provide an accessible and rich introduction to them.

The World Bank is one of the most important and least understood major international institutions. This book provides a concise, accessible and comprehensive overview of the World Bank's history, development, structure, functionality and activities.

These themes are illustrated with a wide variety of case studies drawn from the Bank's international activities. Also discussed are the controversial challenges that the Bank now faces in the light of the criticism from campaigners and NGOs.

The World Bank is one of the most important and least understood major international institutions. This book provides a concise, accessible and comprehensive overview of the World Bank's history, development, structure, functionality and activities.

These themes are illustrated with a wide variety of case studies drawn from the Bank's international activities. Also discussed are the controversial challenges that the Bank now faces in the light of the criticism from campaigners and NGOs.

The institutional picture is complex and dynamic, this book will review the institutional context for contemporary religion, focusing on its transnational implications. This is indeed a rich topic, but it has not been treated in anything like a systematic fashion. A remarkable array of institutions are involved, many with extensive transnational structures. They take many forms, some specific to individual faiths (with Catholic institutions a complex in themselves but the most highly developed), denominations, or faiths, some with specific substantive purposes (Habitat for Humanity, Islamic Relief, for example), while others aim to promote peace and social justice through interfaith action. The United Nations and other institutions, the European Union, the World Economic Forum, and the World Bank, for example, have grappled with how to relate to both institutions and issues involving religion. However, serious gaps in knowledge and understanding have hindered efforts to navigate these institutions and this has played significant roles in tensions and failures to take advantage of opportunities for partnership, for example in achieving the Millennium Development goals. The new forms that religious institutions are taking, their fit with human rights and democratic ideals, their changing nature in plural societies, are a highly relevant part of the global institutional picture, and this volume aims to provide an accessible and rich introduction to them.

The faith and development nexus is both a promising new focus for secular development agencies and a historic reality: for centuries, world faiths and individuals inspired by their faith have played many roles in social change and social welfare. Secular development agencies have largely operated in parallel to the world of faith-motivated development. The World Bank began in the late 1990s to explore ways in which faith and development are connected. The issue was not and is not about religion, but about the recognition that some of the best experts on development are faith leaders living and working in poor communities, where strong ties and moral authority give them unique experience and insight. The World Bank's goal is to act as a catalyst and convenor, bringing together development practitioners to find common ground, understand one another's efforts, and explore differences. 'Development and Faith' explores and highlights promising partnerships in the world between secular and faith development entities. It recounts the evolving history of relationships between faith and secular development institutions. It focuses on the Millennium Development Goals as a common framework for action and an opportunity for new forms of collaboration and partnership.

The world of religion has been unacknowledged and often unseen by many development practitioners. The areas of common concern and activity, though, are numerous and have great importance in the global effort to fight poverty. 'Mind, Heart and Soul in the Fight Against Poverty' explores the diversity of collaboration between faith institutions and development agencies - ranging from community level interventions in support of excluded populations; work on education, health, and HIV/AIDS; restoring communities after conflicts; and global efforts to bring greater clarity and meaning to challenges such as poor country debt, labor and the struggle against poverty. What is emerging is a set of new partnerships that are founded on common concerns for the welfare of poor communities and the global cause of social justice. The need for broader and clearer insight, and for creative efforts to see and understand the whole, emerge as fundamental lessons of recent decades of development experience. 'Mind, Heart and Soul in the Fight Against Poverty' seeks to delve more deeply into these lessons, stressing the centrality of faith in the human experience.