PROFESSOR ATUL K. SHAH www.atulkshah.co.uk
Globally renowned expert advisor and broadcaster on culture, accounting, finance, business ethics, holistic education and leadership
New Book Published by Routledge, June 2025
Modern finance science is profoundly broken and damaging, morally and culturally. It has no choice but to change its theory and pedagogy – but the question is how and in what ways? Western science and its focus on secularism and materialism has made itself incapable of the transformations needed in society given our global calamity. Experts trained in finance lack not only the wisdom to change, but also the tools to see the world from a very different, kinder, gentler and more caring paradigm. In truth, the planet is bio-diverse, and so is society, with a huge tapestry of faiths, customs, beliefs and practices in finance, many of which are sustainable but sadly not highlighted or discussed in any curricula globally. A holistic approach is urgently needed.
This book builds a new un-anthropocentric moral and sustainable finance from the ground up, helping students, professionals and scientists to reconstruct the knowledge and connect it to indigenous beliefs. An interdisciplinary, non-technical approach is adopted. Respect for all living beings, the protection of forests, soil and soul, and the importance of trust, culture and relationships are critical to building harmonious communities. Research and pedagogy have been re-connected. Examples and techniques to re-engineer the science are offered throughout the book. These make culture and ethics pivotal and showcase new grounded methods of education which include field trips, dialogues with small farmers and entrepreneurs, and learning from different cultures and beliefs. It will enable many people from alternative cultures and beliefs to speak about their own perspectives and practices in finance, without shame or marginalization.
The nature, purpose and limits of money need to be discussed and debated very early on, and not commodified and fictionalized. The research shows many excellent examples from indigenous cultures hiding in plain sight, and the significant creative possibilities of a compassionate finance, devoid of greed. Professionals who have a sense of purpose and meaning beyond the material can help transform the leadership and culture of whole organisations and institutions and are invited to rise to the challenge. Diverse and holistic wisdom perspectives have been used to reframe both the knowledge and the teaching methods to build a sustainable society.
Professor Atul K. Shah (PhD – LSE) FCA is a world-renowned writer, broadcaster, award-winning researcher and editor, and author of six research monographs, including ‘Inclusive and Sustainable Finance’, ‘Jainism and Ethical Finance’, and ‘Reinventing Accounting and Finance Education – For a caring, inclusive and sustainable planet’. He is based at City – St. Georges, University of London, and has taught at London School of Economics, University of Maryland, University of Bristol, University of Essex, among other universities.
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