Sen's Capability Approach Research Articles

CAN THE WELFARE OF HINDU CLERGY IN BALI BE ASSESSED USING AMARTYA SEN'S CAPABILITY APPROACH

The movement space of Sulinggih, the Balinese Hindu clergy, is severely restricted in various aspects due to the rules set by the Balinese community to preserve its sanctity. These social rules dictate that Sulinggih must relinquish secular work and focus solely on religious activities. This study aims to explore the applicability of Amartya Sen's Capability Approach theory in analyzing the well-being of Hindu clergy in Bali. The research employs a qualitative method, specifically a literature study. The study reviews the variables identified by Amartya Sen in his writings and studies, which have also been further examined by economists. Based on the analysis, this study proposes a conceptual framework to elucidate and predict how the variables in Sen's theory influence the welfare outcomes of Hindu clergy in Bali. The framework considers commodities and capabilities as potential mediating variables, while conversion factors and social choices are seen as factors that moderate the impact of resources on the attainment of functionings.

Ethics principles for social and behavior change communication

The field of social and behavior change communication (SBCC) has a history reaching back to the period of decolonization following World War II. Since that period, much has been learned about theories and methods pertinent to this communication subfield. One topic that has received too little attention is the ethical dimension of SBCC. This paper considers the need for an SBCC code of ethics and justification for such a code. Amartya Sen's capabilities approach and Habermas's discourse ethics are reviewed as substantial contributions to such a justification. Habermas's U and D principles are selected as especially useful when the criteria for communicative action are considered, including criteria related to validity claims and general symmetry conditions. The paper argues that discourse ethics is the most suitable general ethical approach for SBCC, offering both a theoretical foundation for SBCC ethics and guidelines for practice in the field.

Accounting for disability and work inclusion in tourism

This study theoretically and methodologically advances the underexplored literature accounting for the social impact generated by the job inclusion of persons with disabilities within the hospitality sector. A theoretical framework based on Amartya Sen's capability approach and the International Classification of Functioning, Disability, and Health informs the participatory process we used to define the most salient inputs, outputs, outcomes, and impacts in a Social Return On Investment (SROI) analysis applied to the operations of a social enterprise, Albergo Etico. The resulting theoretical discussion and empirical application of the capability approach integrated with SROI analysis enables the operationalization of the capability approach in tourism studies, providing a cohesive understanding of disability and an effective reporting of the impacts of job inclusion.

A democratic learning process: When young children under 12 years of age in child welfare services express their wishes for participation

AbstractThis study examined the opinions of 116 Finnish children (mainly aged under 12 years), who were child welfare clients in 2021 regarding how their voices and needs should be heard and met by employees of this system. An abductive thematic analysis revealed that the nature of their participation is connected to Amartya Sen's capability approach. Children considered their rights and capabilities, the possibility to make choices and being safeguarded as important. We found that encounters with employees introduced young children to how society views them and how they can impact the course of their own lives.

The digitally mediated lives of women MSME entrepreneurs in India: Navigating the “access‐use” conundrum

AbstractThe dialectics of information and communication technologies (ICTs) entail their potential in fostering digital dividends and fomenting digital exclusion. Based on 165 personal interviews with women entrepreneurs of MSMEs in the Ganjam and Gajapati districts of the state of Odisha in India, this study considers the opportunities and challenges regarding the access and use of ICTs. The primary intent of the study is to explore the participants’ views on the diversity of ICT use, the relevance of these technologies for their businesses, and the challenges they face while using the digital technologies. Deploying Amartya Sen's Capability Approach (CA) as the primary theoretical lens, this study documents the popularity of “new ICTs” among the respondents, the constraints they face in performing digital transactions, their views on digital exclusion, and the impact of local factors (language barriers and institutional support) on their digital appropriation. Based on these findings, the study emphasises the need for increased availability of business‐relevant content on ICT platforms, incorporation of ICT training in ongoing programmes, and explores ways of overcoming the language barriers and promoting effective use of digital payment applications. This study aims at enhancing the ICT‐related capability sets of women entrepreneurs in the underdeveloped sub‐regions of India.

P08-11 Capabilities and capitals for leisure-time physical activity among young adults: findings from Switzerland

BackgroundThe association between physical activity (PA) and social, economic and psychological factors in young adults is well documented. By contrast, the mechanisms by which their perceived options to be active in life shape their actual PA behavior are less well understood. By taking into account individual competences as well as social, economic and cultural resources, Sen's capability approach and Bourdieu's theory of capitals may contribute to a better understanding of how PA levels depend on the chances young adults have to realize activity in daily life. This study explores the influence of a set of PA-related capabilities, conversion factors and different forms of capitals on leisure-time PA among young Swiss adults.MethodsWe analyzed data from the Swiss Federal Survey of Adolescents (YASS), specifically the 2010/11 and 2014/15 panels, to explore capabilities for PA among young Swiss adults (N = 21894; aged 18-25 years). We applied stepwise linear regression analyses to explore the association between continuous PA scores, capabilities to be active, cultural (parental education, parental cultural objects), economic (household equivalent income) and social resources (social connections of parents), as well as individual conversion factors (self-efficiency, own education, health literacy).ResultsPreliminary findings suggest that higher capabilities to be physically active, being female, having a higher education, having parents with a higher education or a higher number of cultural objects, scoring higher on the health literacy scale and being more self-efficient have a statistically significant positive effect on leisure-time PA.ConclusionsIn line with Sen's capability approach and Bourdieu's theory of capitals, our findings indicate positive associations between leisure-time PA, the perceived capabilities to be active in life, different resources and conversion factors. This implies that these approaches may serve as a good theoretical foundation for conceptualizing interventions to effectively promote PA among young adults.

O4-7 An alternative framework for HEPA projects: Developing recommendations for the use of the Capability Approach

BackgroundUsing Amartya Sen's capability approach (CA) to conceptualize physical activity (PA) promotion projects has been suggested as a promising alternative to conventional theories, as it focuses on the real opportunities people have to engage in PA rather than on PA behavior alone. The Capital4Health research consortium used the CA to conceptualize and implement PA projects in four different settings across the life-course. The aim of the study was to evaluate the implementation of the CA in these projects and to develop recommendations for the use of the concept in future PA promotion projects.MethodsBased on an overarching analytical framework, we investigated the utilization of the CA in the individual projects using document analysis, workshops, and group interviews with project teams. Results were used to develop a set of draft principles and recommendations for effectively employing the CA in future projects and as a bridging framework for larger consortia. A participatory process combining elements of action research and Delphi surveys is currently conducted with all members of the Capital4Health consortium to arrive at final set of agreed-upon principles.ResultsPreliminary results show that the use of the CA varied substantially between projects and settings, but that a number of common conclusions can be drawn. A future framework for using capabilities for PA promotion may focus on three areas: (a) Project conceptualization should address both the target group and relevant multipliers. It should also consider both individual PA competences and structural factors, (b) Evaluation should cover both capabilities for PA as well as actual changes in PA levels to assess health impact on multiple levels, (c) The CA may be very useful to research consortia for developing shared goals and evaluation frameworks. This, however, requires a shared knowledge base and agreement about central theoretical concepts.ConclusionsThe CA constitutes a potentially useful theoretical basis for both individual PA promotion projects and multi-setting research consortia. However, the application of the concept is complex and may vary significantly between settings. The proposed guiding principles may therefore provide a useful aid to future projects wishing to apply this innovative approach.

O4-8 Measuring capabilities for physical activity-related health outcomes: A Systematic review

BackgroundHealth promotion projects commonly measure health outcomes and behavior to provide proof of effectiveness. An alternative concept that focuses on the real opportunities a person can choose from to influence their health is Amartya Sen's capability approach. Numerous tools have been developed to measure capability change in general, but it remains unclear which ones can be applied specifically to physical activity (PA).We therefore conducted a systematic review to identify appropriate tools to measure capabilities for physical activity and health and provide information on their quality.MethodsThe review included a total of 6,850 articles published between 2000 and June 2019 that were identified via searches on PubMed, EbscoHost, and ProQuest. Screenings of titles/abstracts and full texts were conducted independently by two researchers using Endnote X9 and Microsoft Excel. Identified tools are currently being analyzed regarding their indicators, evaluation methods, quality, and the extent to which they address capabilities for physical activity.ResultsThe screening resulted in a total of 49 articles included in the analysis. Preliminary results show a diverse use of methods for measuring capabilities for healthy lifestyles. Preliminary results show that three categories of instruments can be identified: (a) Five studies employed secondary data analysis of specific datasets to extrapolate capabilities for healthy living; (b) five articles dealt with measuring capabilities using qualitative approaches (interviews, video recordings); (c) 39 articles reported on a total of 10 different questionnaires to measure capabilities. We identified only one instrument (employing both a questionnaire and qualitative measures) that explicitly measured capabilities for PA, albeit only for a specific target group.ConclusionsThe identified articles show that capabilities for healthy lifestyles are mostly measured by questionnaire. Available tools are mostly target group- and setting-specific. Currently, there is a dearth of tools that explicitly cover capabilities for PA, especially across settings or target groups. Therefore, more research is needed to work towards the development of universally applicable tools to measure PA capability.

Objection or Obstacle: Applying Amartya Sen's Capability Approach to the Conscientious Refusal of Emergency Contraception.

The conscientious refusal to dispense emergency contraception (EC) is legally protected in fourteen states. While the ethical dimensions of these objections have been explored within moral and feminist philosophy, conscientious refusal to the over-the-counter sale of EC has not been significantly studied through an egalitarian lens, especially with attention to the existing reproductive healthcare landscape in which these refusals occur. This article argues, through Amartya Sen's capability approach, that conscientious refusal to EC creates a burdensome inequality for people wishing to prevent pregnancy that manifests within a background of historical injustices, elevating its importance in our weighing of capabilities.

Enfoque de capacidades y cubo del curso de vida, aplicado a la migración de mujeres calificadas

A proposal is developed to integrate Amartya Sen's Capabilities Approach and the study of life trajectories, represented in the life course cube of Bernardi et al. (2019), taking as an empirical example the couple migration the skilled women. The life curse cube allows the visualization of the interdependencies between (1) the temporality of women's life course and the historical moment where the migration process occurs, (2) the individual, social, and environmental conversion factors that provide or restrict their ability to achieve those functionings they consider of value to their lives and how they exercise their agency to achieve their well-being, and (3) the micro, meso and macro levels of interaction that together connect life domains over time from the individual environment, the social relationships and considering external societal structures.

Women and Mobile Phone Charging Business in Nigeria: A Capability Perspective

There is a growing adoption of solar home systems to support sustainable development and address poor electricity supply in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). This has resulted in the rise of solar mobile phone charging businesses, especially in off-grid communities. An area that remains under-researched that needs to be addressed is how these solar mobile phone charging businesses provide opportunities for women in rural communities in SSA. We employ the concept of Sen's Capability Approach to evaluate how the solar mobile phone charging businesses have improved the lives of women by focusing on opportunities provided for expanding their freedom to participate in social, economic, and political activities. Our analysis shows that women's involvement in solar mobile phone charging businesses has enhanced their individual and collective capabilities to participate in development activities; however, certain contextual factors hinder the generation of these capabilities. The paper concludes with some implications for theory and practice.

Developing a Comprehensive Multidimensional Wellbeing Index Based on What People Value: An Application to a Middle-Income Country.

We introduce a comprehensive policy-relevant measure of multidimensional wellbeing conceptually rooted in Amartya Sen’s capability approach and applied to a middle-income country: the Multidimensional Wellbeing Index for Peru (MWI-P). We design and collect a specialized survey in Peru in late 2018, which included data on wellbeing achievements across 12 dimensions, on the value that respondents place upon each of these dimensions, and on self-perceived freedom. Then, we utilize this information to set the weighting structure and select a wellbeing sufficiency threshold for the MWI-P, which we estimate using the capability-inspired Alkire–Foster method. Our results show that only 45.9% of the sample population live above the wellbeing threshold, which involves achieving sufficiency in at least seven out of the 12 weighted dimensions of the MWI-P. Subgroup analyses reveal that rural populations, women, and older adults are at a disadvantage compared with urban populations, men, and younger adults, respectively. These subgroups’ disparities hold valid if we introduce changes in the weighting structure or in the wellbeing sufficiency threshold. We argue that the MWI-P can inspire other low- and middle-income countries to reorient post-pandemic recovery policies from a focus on economic growth to a human flourishing approach based on what people value.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s11482-022-10064-w.

PENYUSUNAN INDEX OF REGIONAL EDUCATION ADVANTAGE (IREA) UNTUK ANALISIS KETIMPANGAN PENDIDIKAN DI INDONESIA DENGAN PENDEKATAN KAPABILITAS PENDIDIKAN

The demographic dividend is a strategic opportunity for Indonesia to accelerate economic development, with the availability of human resources by productive age in significant numbers. However, the low quality of existing education makes the demographic dividend cannot be reaped optimally. One of the reasons for this indication is the high inequality in education, which reflects the quality of human resources. Besides, one of the indicators for analyzing educational inequality is the Index of Regional Education Advantage (IERA), which comprehensively analyzes educational inequality through Amartya Sen's capability approach. The dimensions used comprise enrolment, attainment, and provision. In this regard, the province with the highest IREA score is DKI Jakarta, whereas the province with the lowest IREA score is Papua. The high IREA score means the better the quality of education, the better the results of achieving basic education indicators, and the stronger the human resources. The study results revealed a fairly high educational disparity between the western and eastern regions of Indonesia, which was analyzed from the distribution of the IREA value of each province.
 
 Demographic dividend, inequality of education, IREA, enrolment, attainment, provision

Exploring Well-Being and Its Correlates among Young Men Using Sen's Capability Approach: Results from the Young Adults Survey, Switzerland (YASS).

Background: The range of options people have to do the things they value in life may have strong effects on their well-being. This is especially true for young adults, as their opportunities and choices may affect both their current and future lives. This study follows Sen’s capability approach (CA) to assess young people’s well-being in terms of capabilities and functionings. Methods: Repeated cross-sectional data from the Young Adult Survey Switzerland were used for the analysis (N = 58,615). Descriptive statistics were applied to analyze the distribution of capabilities and functionings according to individuals’ capital equipment. Finally, multivariate regression analyses were conducted to investigate associations between social, cultural, and economic capital; overall capabilities; and functionings. Results: Young men with lower capital equipment rated their capabilities and functionings lower than others. Capabilities and corresponding functionings differed in the domains of health, happiness, and intellectual stimulation. Multivariate analysis confirmed the effects of social, economic, and cultural capital on both overall capabilities and functionings. Conclusions: Young men differ in their perceived capabilities and functionings in different life domains according to their equipment with different forms of capital. To better understand the mechanisms underlying the transformation of capabilities into functionings, future studies should analyze issues of choice and adaptation to restricted living conditions.

A real options approach to measuring freedom in Sen's capabilities approach

A real options approach to measuring freedom in Sen's capabilities approach

Collaborative learning experiences and development of capabilities among first-year pre-service teachers learning Cell Biology concepts

This study describes an exploration of the influences of educator generated participatory learning tasks on pre-service teachers’ capabilities for learning about concepts individually and together, in collaborative learning tasks. The article describes a qualitative and interpretive case study conducted with Natural Sciences first-year student teachers who worked in groups to learn about and teach back specific concepts about Cell Biology to the class. The study explores one of the ways lecturers can facilitate pre-service teachers in large classes to engage with humanising processes of learning of concepts in the context of Education for Sustainable Development (ESD). Data generation methods included observations (with video and audio recordings) of group work and presentations, questionnaires and interviews. Sen's (1999) Capability Approach on valued beings and doings informed the thinking behind the tool used to trace what student teachers became and what they could do by the end of the activity. Whether pre-service teachers managed or enjoyed working in teams or individually, the group interactions stimulated development of individual and collective capabilities for learning. In conclusion, engaging student teachers working in group tasks tended to facilitate development of individual and collective capabilities that promote learning of concepts.

What is eating well? Capability approach and empirical exploration with the population in Japan

‘Eating well’ or ‘food-related well-being’ have attracted scientific attention since the 1990s in the public health, psychology, sociology and, to a lesser degree, economics fields. A large number of empirical studies have been conducted on the content, determinants and measurements of eating well. However, what is missing is a theoretical framework that delineates the structure of well-being and highlights both the problem of one's mental ‘adaptation’ to straitened circumstances and the importance of one's agency and democratic practices. In this regard, Amartya Sen's capability approach shows promise. The objective of this study was to apply the capability approach to understand what eating well means to the population in Japan and to articulate its theoretical implications. The perspective of Japanese participants was elicited by conducting a web-based questionnaire survey (n = 973). The seven categories of eating well that were identified in Japan included two objectives (health and pleasure) and five strategies (regularity, required intake, moderation, balance and quality) to achieve them. Through additional analysis of their ‘actual’ eating practices, it was elucidated that their satisfaction was relatively high despite their actual failure to achieve such eating well, which implies the critical importance of plural (both subjective and objective) perspectives for ethically evaluating the level of eating well.

The ‘good life’, personal appearance, and mental health of Congolese refugees in Rwanda and Uganda

RationaleResearch into mental health and wellbeing recognises the role of positive mental health to enable people to lead healthy and emotionally fulfilling lives. Mental health difficulties continue to be associated with high levels of disability worldwide, and refugees fleeing conflict are known to suffer from poor mental health for years after their forced migration. MethodInformed by Sen's Capability Approach and as part of a wider research project, we used semi-structured interviews to engage with 60 men and women in two refugee communities in Uganda and Rwanda to explore their aspirations and what a ‘good life’ meant to them. FindingsWhile aspects of what constituted a good life were gendered, both men and women struggled to achieve their aspirations within their communities. Following the basic needs of food and shelter, the complex needs of being dressed well and being clean were consistently associated with be able to achieve a ‘good life’ by women and men across age groups. Looking good and being clean were highly valued and associated with gaining the respect of others, achieving good relationships with neighbours, and avoiding conflict. Participants identified personal appearance and related social status as critical precursors to their successful engagement with other gendered dimensions of social and economic life in their communities, such as finding employment and being well regarded in their religious communities. ConclusionsOur findings suggest that without the means to present a good appearance, people living in refugee communities may experience feelings of shame and isolation and are unable to gain self-respect and the respect of others needed to achieve the positive mental and physical health they associate with leading ‘a good life’.

The Capability and Social Justice Theories: Developing a Second-Generation Model for Enhancing Epistemological Access in Flood-Prone Schools in Kenya

This paper draws from a larger doctoral study, conducted between 2013 and 2016 in five flood-prone schools of the Budalang’i division of western Kenya. The mixed-methods study was based on empirical data drawn from twenty-three in-depth interviews from parents, senior school managers, and Sub County Education officers. Fifteen of these interviews were with males and eight with females. A questionnaire was completed by a total of 191 Standard Eight pupils, 49.2% boys and 50.8% girls across the five schools. Focus group discussions (FGDs) consisting of ten pupils from each of the five schools were also conducted. The study investigated the extent to which flood-prone schools can generate equitable epistemological access (EEA) and how they are committed to delivering a socially just educational experience. The research was embedded in the 'critical realism framework' as the overarching philosophy, premised on Sen's capability approach and Nancy Fraser's social justice framework. The two theories offer competing predications that: 1) the development of individual capabilities improves lives 2) the development of individuals should be based on a socially just approach. Findings suggested that to develop individual capabilities, schools need to embark on a socially just approach, especially to learners who are subjected to deprivation. The paper models a capabilities and social justice approach, as a substantial contribution to our understanding of the extent to which flood-prone schools of Kenya may improve individual capability development. Apart from its implications for policy, we suggest that the model should be implemented in schools to determine its efficacy.

What is intersectional equality? A definition and goal of equality for organizations

AbstractOrganizational research has come a long way in understanding and dealing with inequalities in the workplace. Despite this, there has not been enough progress toward equality. The reason for the stymied progress, we argue, is in large part due to the conceptual gaps in our understanding of equality. This has not been clear enough to prevent previous imbalances in power, interests and domination from re‐manifesting themselves in new ways. Because organizations are complex, there needs to be a clear definition and goal of equality that can account for these mechanisms. In this article, we present a conceptual approach we call intersectional equality. To develop this approach, we build on Kimberlé Crenshaw's intersectionality and Joan Acker's inequality regimes that are useful for understanding the presence and persistency of inequality in organizations, but these do not define solutions for equality. At this point, we turn to equality and justice theory and examine Amartya Sen's capabilities approach for incorporating organizations and organizational responsibilities to pursue equality. In light of the conceptual gaps in intersectionality, the inequality regimes, and the capabilities approach, we present intersectional equality as a conclusive alternative concept and approach. Intersectional equality sharpens the feminist definition and vision of equality for organizations and provides a practical path forward for building coalitions and capabilities across four dimensions of organizational disparities (procedural, discursive, material, and affective).