Symphorien Ntibagirirwa, 50, from Burundi, gained experience in the field, serving as editor of the "Revue Ethique et Société"(Burundi) since 2004, as lecturer on Leadership Ethics and on the Governance of Economic Development at the International Leadership University and as a lecturer in Moral Philosophy and Natural Law at the University of Ngozi, Burundi.

 

Dr Ntibagirirwa works as the Director of the Institute of Development and Economic Ethics, IDEE-Burundi, which is a Globethics.net partner institution.

 

Why is ethics so important for him as a subject? His answer is inspiring:  "Simply because it is a key to making people and society better; ethics is a sure way to happiness. The way of ethics no less than the way of truth leads to happiness."

 

His volume, 'Local Cultural Values and Projects of Economic Development: An Interpretation in the Light of the Capability Approach' was published by Globethics Publications in the Focus series. The focus of the book is a reflection on the link between local cultural values and projects of economic development in the light of Amartya Sen's capability approach.

 

Providing 12 case studies, the book illustrates how the theoretical framework of Sen's approach applies in practice, namely the definition of freedom to self-determination and the definition of development as the expansion of people's freedoms.

 

Symphorien Ntibagirirwa's motivation and interest in writing this book was mainly to understand the capability approach and the ways of applying it to economic development in a particular cultural context. He wanted also to respond to important issues, such as how people can participate effectively in their own development and what really matters for participatory development to be achieved, particularly in developing countries. It took him half a year to find the answers and write the book ‘Local Cultural Values and Projects of Economic Development'. Yet his research itself is ongoing as he is also the author of Philosophical Premises for African Economic Development: Sen's Capability Approach.

 

Nowadays, the author continues to focus his research on the field of capability theory, the ethics of development, the governance of development, economic ethics and corporate governance. His forthcoming books include: Approaching corporate governance through Ubuntu and Ethique professionnelle pour la société de notre temps.

 

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