social development goals are fostered through various strate- gies. These strategies seek, either directly or indirectly, to link social interventions with economic development efforts They are supported by different beliefs or ideologies about how social development goals can best be attained. These ideologies have historically been opposed to one another, and the theories and strategies they have inspired are also in conflict with each other. However, current social development thinkers have adopted a less doctrinaire position and many now argue for a pragmatic viewpoint which fosters a synthesis of different strate- gies. While they recognize the difficulty of achieving a synthesis ofthis kind, they believe that disparate ideological approaches to social devel- opment can be harmonized. Indeed, it is likely that the current ideological climate which characterizes the post-Cold War era, will sustain a synthesis of this kind.