[2][3] He sought to synthesize insights from philosophy, policy practice, and anthropology to better understand development ethics.
Goulet was a professor emeritus in the Department of Economics and Policy Studies at University of Notre Dame.
[4] Goulet's work drew its major inspiration from the writings and examples of a group French religious intellectuals including Charles de Foucauld, Simone Weil, Louis-Joseph Lebret and the “worker priests” of the last century and from the hunger and thirst for justice of the gospel of Matthew.
[5] Thirlwall, notes Goulet's contribution to the broadening of the notion of development to include economic and social objectives and the values that societies strive for.
[6][7] Goulet, D. (1971) The Cruel Choice: A New Concept in the Theory of Development, New York, Athenaeum Goulet, D (2006) Development Ethics at Work Explorations - 1960-2002, ISBN 978-0-415-49404-5 ISBN 978-0-415-77021-7 (Electronic) 978-0-203-08664-3 Routledge, UK https://web.archive.org/web/20120326195729/http://www.centrolindavista.org.mx/archivos_index/goulet/gouletcv.pdf