Sen's Capability Approach Research Articles

Re-conceptualizing Sustainable Development on the Basis of the Capability Approach: A Model and Its Difficulties

This article sketches a re-conceptualization of sustainable development (SD) on the basis of Sen's capability approach (CA). The notion of sustainable development was developed as a compromise in a political process and has been reinterpreted (some say diluted) again and again over the last 20 years. When modelling the notion through the lenses of the capability approach, difficulties occur that are at the core of SD and of CA or that are due to their combination. This article shows why it is not easy to replace ‘needs’ in the Brundtland definition of SD with ‘capabilities’. In our model, the differences between systemic and individual levels become clear and herewith the necessity to include both when dealing with issues of SD. The most salient difficulties relate to the multidimensionality and dynamics on both levels. Confronted with these difficulties, demanding individuals to consciously choose sustainable actions seems to be heroic. We propose two ways to alleviate the cognitive and moral burden on individuals by concentrating on the natural environment and by introducing collective institutions. Both alleviations are far from evident, however; this concerns their justification as well as their operationalization.

Creating Capabilities, Lists and Thresholds: Whose Voices, Intuitions and Value Judgements Count?

Creating Capabilities, Lists and Thresholds: Whose Voices, Intuitions and Value Judgements Count?

Students’ use of one to one laptops: a capability approach analysis

PurposeThe purpose of this paper is to evaluate effects of students’ 1:1 laptop use from a capability perspective by investigating increases and decreases of students’ opportunities and choices. The paper investigates changes that have taken place and how these changes enable or restrict students to do and be what they desire.Design/methodology/approachThe paper undertakes an interpretive case study based on group interviews and questionnaires. Sen's capability approach is used as theoretical framework and has informed the data collection and the analysis.Findings1:1 laptops in schools have provided students with new opportunities and choices, but also restricted others. An evident opportunity is the equalization of access to computers. Other opportunities relate to schoolwork efficiency and increased access to information. Gains also include the use of different media for overcoming disabilities or to fit individual learning styles. Regarding students’ well‐being, a “fun” learning environment is mentioned. However, the “fun” is often about playing games or using social media – something which diverts the students’ attention from the learning. Students also find that they are less social, too computer dependent, and that they miss using pen and paper. Additionally, health issues such as back problems and headaches are reported, as well as an increased risk of being robbed.Originality/valueMost research on 1:1 laptops in education focuses on easily quantifiable measures and reports from a teacher perspective. The paper takes a broader approach and investigates the impact 1:1 laptops have on students’ well‐being and agency.

Informational Capabilities - The Missing Link for the Impact of ICT on Development

Under what conditions can information and communications technologies (ICTs) enhance the well-being of poor communities? The paper designs an alternative evaluation framework (AEF) that applies Sen's capability approach to the study of ICTs in order to place people's well-being, rather than technology at the center of the study. The AEF develops an impact chain that examines the mechanisms by which access to, and meaningful use of, ICTs can enhance peoples, 'informational capabilities' and can lead to improvements in people's human and social capabilities. This approach thus uses peoples human capabilities, rather than measures of access or usage, as its principal evaluative space. Based on empirical evidence from rural communities uses of ICTs in Bolivia, the study concludes that enhancing people's informational capabilities is the most critical factor determining the impact of ICTs on their well-being. The findings indicate that improved informational capabilities, like literacy, do enhance the human capabilities of the poor and marginalized to make strategic life choices to achieve the lifestyle they value. Evaluating the impact of ICTs in terms of capabilities thus reveals that there is no direct relationship between improved access to, and use of, ICTs and enhanced well-being; ICTs lead to improvements in people's lives only when informational capabilities are transformed into expanded human and social capabilities in the economic, political, social, organizational and cultural dimensions of their lives.

Evaluation of E-Marketing in Aquaculture Using an Aquachoupal Model in the East and West Godavari Districts of Andhra Pradesh

In order to evaluate e-marketing systems in the aquaculture value chain, the authors conducted a study on the aquachoupal model in the East and West Godavari districts of Andhra Pradesh, India. Developmental impact and measurement of information dissemination were evaluated using Sen's capability approach and Brown's information-based approach. Quality of service as a component of the value chain is very important for e-marketing, yet difficult to assess due to its complex and intangible nature. In this study, an analytical hierarchy process was used to examine changes in service quality as a result of e-marketing. The study showed that the aquachoupal had been helpful in improving human resource development through the value chain channels of growth and productivity. It also increased the volume, coverage and diversity of information flows in the study area. There has been significant improvement in service quality in the aquaculture value chain as a result of e-marketing.

REALISING SOCIAL JUSTICE IN PUBLIC HEALTH LAW

Law has played an important, but largely constitutive, role in the development of the public health enterprise. Thus, law has been central to setting up the institutions and offices of public health. The moral agenda has, however, been shaped to a much greater extent by bioethics. While social justice has been placed at the heart of this agenda, we argue that there has been little place within dominant conceptions of social justice for gender equity and women's interests which we see as crucial to a fully realised vision of social justice. We argue that, aside from particular interventions in the field of reproduction, public health practice tends to marginalise women-a claim we support by critically examining strategies to combat the HIV pandemic in sub-Saharan Africa. To counter the marginalisation of women's interests, this article argues that Amartya Sen's capabilities approach has much to contribute to the framing of public health law and policy. Sen's approach provides an evaluative and normative framework which recognises the importance of both gender and health equity to achieving social justice. We suggest that domestic law and international human rights provisions, in particular the emerging human right to health, offer mechanisms to promote capabilities, and foster a robust and inclusive conception of social justice.

The capability approach: Enabling musical learning

Amartya Sen's capability approach offers a new perspective for educators throughout the curriculum. This new insight has the potential to promote a music education that is inherently tailored to the individual. In essence it asks the question: What is music education going to offer to this student? This article represents an initial enquiry into the capability approach when applied to music education. With a theoretical understanding of the capability approach its application can provide insight into pupil voice, teacher voice, growing student autonomy and differentiation.

Capabilities as menus: A non-welfarist basis for QALY evaluation

Quality-Adjusted Life Years (QALYs) are the most widely used measure of health in economic evaluations of health care. Within a welfarist framework QALYs are consistent with people's preferences under stringent assumptions. Several authors have argued that QALYs are a valid measure of health within an extra-welfarist framework. This paper studies the applicability of QALYs within the best-known extra-welfarist framework, Sen's capability approach. We propose a procedure to value capability sets and provide a foundation for QALYs within Sen's capability approach. We show that, under appropriate conditions, the ranking of capabilities can be represented locally by a QALY measure and that a willingness to pay for QALYs can be defined. The validity of QALYs as a general measure of health requires the same stringent conditions as in a welfarist framework.

From vagueness to precision: raising the volume on social issues for the water sector

The paper raises the volume on complex social issues that affect water management. The paper proposes Amartya Sen's capability approach (CA) as a suitable framework against which to consider these complex ideals. This is because the CA is attentive to issues of social justice and it addresses a range of intangible goods that contribute to human well-being which are critical if the gap between progressive ideas about water policy and their practical application is to be lessened. We isolate certain attributes within the CA and propose that these attributes are particularly relevant when considering ideas of social justice concerning water. We then conclude that a sharper focus on intangible social issues brings more precision to a water discourse that is all too often vague and fuzzy in its dealings with society.

Feelingful development: redefining policy through interpretation

This article initiates the concept of feelingful development, an idea which has emerged from our work on economic and community-based development in Atlantic Canada and Northern Ireland. The concept has evolved in parallel with the work of social and human scientists including Bevir and Rhodes (2008 and 2010), who have adopted an alternative, interpretive and decentred approach to the study of modern governance. The article will begin by outlining some of the thinking on interpretive approaches to public policy. It will offer our contribution by way of exploring what insights the literature of regional novelists in Atlantic Canada and Northern Ireland might add to pushing out the boundaries of this research. It will close by contemplating possible future research agendas on adaptation of policy and exploring whether Sen's (1999) capability approach might in future be cast within the governance literature to generate novel ideas on the interpretive evaluation of public policy and local development initiatives.

On considering the application of Amartya Sen's capability approach to an information-based rights framework

We live in an information society, and, resultantly, significant attention is devoted to ensure “information-based rights” are protected among other essential human rights. Fostering and protecting information-based rights is essential to human well being, and the traditional strategies to support these rights focus on ensuring free and unfettered access to information, such as the right to education, the freedom to read, or providing for fair use of copyright-protected works. While ensuring informational goods and services are accessible is necessary for participation in our contemporary information society, we argue, however, that given the complexity of our information environment, additional factors must be considered within any information-based rights framework. Building on Amartya Sen’s capability approach, we suggest that individuals’ ability to access and use information is influenced by their relative capabilities. Those advocating for information-based rights – such as the free software, access to knowledge, and open access movements – must adjust their focus to include not only achieving access, but also the fostering of human capabilities.

A critical note on the role of the capability approach for sustainability economics

Can sustainability economics profit from the fusion with Amartya Sen's capability approach, thereby gaining solid normative foundations and wider applicability? We argue that this fusion is mistaken to the extent that the capability approach is essentially a static normative framework while sustainability economics demands a systematic long-term view with focus on wide-ranging societal change. These demands are best realized by taking an evolutionary perspective that focuses on the evolution and development of societies.

Citizenship and capability? Amartya Sen's capabilities approach from a citizenship perspective

This article deals with the potential contribution of Amartya Sen's capabilities approach (CA) for studying citizenship. Although the CA cannot be described as a genuine citizenship theory it has informed recent attempts to reformulate social citizenship. Moreover, it shares important aims and assumptions with radical citizenship approaches, which emphasise democracy, voice, and difference. Especially, Sen's ideas can help formulate positive notions of equality. However, a fruitful dialogue between those perspectives has to lead over some controversial issues. In this context, this article suggests more substantive notions of agency and interaction as well as integrating rights and rights language.

Social Enterprise and Development Policy: Evidence from Italy

This paper examines the role of social enterprise in relation to the specific features of the Italian socio-economic context. It argues that in this case it is appropriate to discuss the concept of social enterprise within the theoretical framework of human development and Amartya Sen's capability approach. The focus is thus an analysis of the evolution of social enterprises in Italy, and social co-operatives in particular, in pursuit of two aims. On the one hand, the study shows the importance of the social economy in the Italian regions with regard to the welfare system and development policies; on the other, it outlines both the positive and the disappointing aspects of policies implemented at central and local level. Finally, the conclusions indicate both the institutional dynamics that could strengthen social enterprise in Italy and the potential contribution of these enterprises to the economic and human development of the poorer southern regions.

Decoding the European dynamic employment security indicator through the lens of the capability approach. A comparison of the United Kingdom and Sweden

The balance between flexibility and security on the labour market has since 2007 become a priority on the European Union’s agenda. The efforts of Member States are assessed by means of performance indicators. This article focuses on the dynamic employment security indicator, in an attempt to highlight what the EU’s Employment Committee means by the notion of ‘making people’s pathways more secure’. With both empirical and theoretical perspectives in mind, we seek to reveal the postulates behind the decisions of those who designed this indicator. Drawing on an epistemological analysis founded on Amartya Sen’s capability approach, and in particular on his key idea of the ‘informational basis of judgement’, this article identifies the normative thread of this indicator, which gives flexibility precedence over real freedom for workers, and employability precedence over capability. Our case studies of Sweden and the United Kingdom demonstrate the key effects of institutional systems, shed light on practices whereby labour market policies can be manipulated to optimize the performance of the dynamic employment security indicator, and cast doubt on the relevance of institutionalized benchmarking using this indicator. Depuis 2007, la question de l’équilibre entre flexibilité et sécurité sur le marché du travail est devenue une des priorités de l’agenda de l’Union Européenne. Les efforts des Etats-Membres sont évalués au moyen d’indicateurs de performance. L’article se focalise sur l’indicateur dynamique de sécurité d’emploi afin de mettre en lumière le contenu concret que le Comité de l’emploi de la Commission européenne donne à la notion de sécurisation des parcours professionnels. S’inscrivant dans une double ambition empirique et théorique l’article vise à révéler les postulats sous jacents aux choix des concepteurs de cet indicateur. A partir d’une analyse épistémologique fondée sur l’approche par les capacités d’Amartya Sen, et notamment sur l’idée centrale de « base informationnelle de jugement » il identifie la trame normative de cet indicateur qui privilégie flexibilité plutôt que liberté réelle des travailleurs et employabilité plutôt que capacité. L’analyse des cas suédois et britannique montre l’importance des effets de système des institutions, éclaire des pratiques d’instrumentalisation des politiques du marché du travail visant à optimiser la performance de l’indicateur dynamique de sécurité d’emploi et met en doute la pertinence du benchmarking institutionnalisé au travers de cet indicateurs. Der Ausgleich zwischen Flexibilität und Sicherheit auf dem Arbeitsmarkt gehört seit 2007 zu den Prioritäten der Europäischen Union. Die Anstrengungen der Mitgliedstaaten in diesem Bereich werden anhand von Leistungsindikatoren bewertet. Dieser Beitrag befasst sich mit dem dynamischen Indikator für Arbeitsplatzsicherheit und versucht zu ermitteln, was der EU-Beschäftigungsausschuss unter dem Begriff der “Sicherung von Erwerbsverläufen” versteht. Er analysiert empirisch und theoretisch, auf welche Postulate sich die Entscheidungen derjenigen stützen, die diesen Indikator erarbeitet haben. Ausgehend von einer epistemologischen Analyse, die sich auf den Ansatz der Verwirklichungschancen von Amartya Sen und insbesondere auf sein Konzept der “Informationsbasis für die Beurteilung” stützt, wird zunächst die normative Grundlage dieses Indikators herausgestellt, der Flexibilität Vorrang vor realer Freiheit für Arbeitnehmer und Beschäftigungsfähigkeit Vorrang vor Verwirklichungschancen gibt. Anhand von Fallstudien aus Schweden und dem Vereinigten Königreich werden die wichtigsten Auswirkungen institutioneller Systeme dargestellt und es wird gezeigt, wie arbeitsmarktpolitische Maßnahmen manipuliert werden können, um bei dem dynamischen Indikator für Arbeitsplatzsicherheit eine bessere Leistung zu erzielen. Insofern sind Zweifel angebracht, ob institutionalisierte Benchmarking-Verfahren, die sich auf diesen Indikator stützen, relevant sind.

Building collective capabilities through ICT in a mountain region of Nepal: where social capital leads to collective action

In this paper, we explore how ICT can lead to development specifically human development in Sen's capability approach. In answering to the critique that Sen views capabilities as the individual, we incorporate the societal level by adding collective capabilities. We propose that ICT helps to create or enhance SC of communities which in turn can lead to development by building collective capabilities through collective action. To illustrate, we conducted a qualitative case study of an ICT initiative in a remote mountain region of Nepal. We found support for our proposition and further that developing collective capabilities also simultaneously enhanced individual capabilities. We contribute to theory building by showing that not just the characteristics of SC, but also its form can promote collective action. We further illustrate that the SC and the capability perspectives are compatible and it is possible to read the two streams both simultaneously and complementarily.

The Capability Approach: Insights for a New Poverty Focus

AbstractThe concepts of poverty, social exclusion and deprivation are widely employed but often problematic. This paper discusses some problems with prominent interpretations of these concepts and how Amartya Sen's capability approach can provide a conceptual framework that can overcome these problems. It is argued that the capability approach can reflect the many ways that human lives are blighted and that it thus offers a promising framework for poverty analysis. Six insights for poverty analysis provided by the capability approach are discussed.

Older Social and Private Renters, the Neighbourhood, and Social Connections and Activity

This study explores the social worlds of older renters. Drawing on in-depth interviews and Sen's capability approach, it argues that accommodation costs, security of tenure and the neighbourhood play a pivotal role in shaping the capability of older renters to initiate and sustain social connections and leisure activities. In the case of older private renters, their high rents and constant anxiety around their security of tenure meant that many did not have the capability to engage in leisure activities and were isolated. In contrast, the older social housing interviewees, because of their low rents, guaranteed security of tenure and longevity of residence, usually had the capability to sustain strong social ties and partake in social activities.

The neglected dimension of well-being: Analyzing the development of “conversion efficiency” in Great Britain

In Amartya Sen's capability approach, policy makers can focus on different levels to influence the well-being of a society. A dimension that is usually neglected is improving individuals’ “conversion efficiency”, i.e. the efficiency with which individual resources are converted into well-being. To examine effects of policies on (the development of) this measure we suggest an intertemporal index of conversion efficiency estimated via a nonparametric order- m approach. The approach is exemplified using data from the British Household Panel Survey (BHPS) from 1991 to 2006. We find that over this time horizon between 24% and 29% of individuals were efficient in their conversion of resources into well-being. Moreover, age and self-employment increase an individual's conversion efficiency, while living in London, being disabled and being separated, divorced or widowed all decrease conversion efficiency. Being married also decreases the conversion efficiency and we find few evidence of gender disparities in conversion efficiency.

The capability approach as a tool for development evaluation – analyzing students’ use of internet resources

Internet resources have been ascribed transformative powers in the development of educational organizations and students in developing regions. However, most development projects relating to Internet resources focus on publishing material without much analysis of the actual use. The question then is how we can go deeper in our analysis and study actual development outcomes. The analysis in this paper is based on Amartya Sen's Capability Approach, where both the means and ends are evaluated. The research question is “What are the benefits of using Amartya Sen's Capability Approach when evaluating development outcomes?”. We answer the question by evaluating what capabilities and functionings Internet resources can enable for students in higher education. Findings show that the Capability Approach enables us to gain a deeper understanding of why and how development outcomes are achieved. We are also able to follow the development process from the intervention to the realized outcomes. Annika Andersson, Åke Grönlund and Gudrun Wicander are the accepting Guest Editors for this article.