For more than 50 years, academics and practitioners have
explored social development, and its theories and accomplishments
have been the subject of extensive debate. This is
a pivotal time for social development. The year 2015 marks
the 20th anniversary of the 1995 World Summit for Social
Development and its Copenhagen Declaration; it is the target
date set for achievement of the Millennium Development
Goals; and it will see the launch of the United Nations new
Post-2015 Agenda for development and the environment.
Thus, we can expect a reinvigorated interest in the debates
surrounding development, including social development. The
publication of Social Development: Theory & Practice by James
Midgley is timely indeed.