ABSTRACT
The human development approach builds rationale because 'development' is more complex and broader than economic growth; GDP is an inadequate measure and pursuing a policy agenda that prioritises economic growth will not be able to address major underlying challenges. There are many ways through which the cultural economy could contribute to human development. But human development itself is also a precondition to the effective functioning of the cultural economy. While 'development' is about humans' contribution to the economy, 'human development' is about advancing people's capabilities in society. The chapter explores what kind of claims cultural economy reports and documents make about human development. It analyzes what human development stands for in the literature. The chapter also explores the difference between capacity building and advancing capabilities. It discusses how cultural rights relate to human development. Both the cultural economy and human development require careful analysis, conceptual precision, and focused strategic action in order to attain the particular outcomes envisaged.
