Legacy Data
In addition to World Problems, Strategies and Human Values, the following datasets complete the content of the Encyclopedia.
They are currently available here for archival purposes until further development is possible.
Human Development
The Human Potential and Development section of the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential provides profiles of human development approaches and modes of awareness, and their relationships, as perceived by different beliefs systems, disciplines, religions, and cultures. The contrasting approaches to human development in different cultures, and their respective understandings of the modes of awareness associated with different stages in that development process, are a challenge to knowledge management and comprehension, and it is hoped that a more comprehensive overview will provide a valuable resource for dealing with the global challenges humanity faces.
Integrative Concepts
The Integrative Concepts and Symbols section of the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential is an editorial experiment to identify classes of symbols considered significant in traditional and modern cultures, as a means of ordering the large amount of material available on individual symbols. It was undertaken in order to enhance understanding of the range of symbols that remain active in society and which can be called upon as a cultural resource to give focus to international programmes given that they embody special significance in establishing the identity of international campaigns in relation to other initiatives.
Patterns and Metaphors
Metaphors are a special form of presentation natural to many cultures. They are of unique importance as a means of communicating complex notions, especially in interdisciplinary and multicultural dialogue, as well as in the popularization of abstract concepts, in political discourse and as part of any creative process. They offer the special advantage of calling upon a pre-existing capacity to comprehend complexity, rather than assuming that people need to engage in lengthy educational processes before being able to comprehend. The Patterns and Metaphor section of the Encyclopedia of World Problems and Human Potential is an attempt by the UIA, since the 1980s, to explore the role of metaphor and pattern in relation to governance, understanding of world problems, articulation of more appropriate organizational strategies, transformative conferencing and dialogue, and knowledge organization.