Modelling Amartya Sen’ s Capability Approach: An Interdisciplinary and Contemporary Account

Abstract

Amartya Sen’s Capability Approach is a normative framework for the assessment of social states. Inspired in economics and philosophy, it proposes to move from opulence-centric indicators to people’s quality of life. Its focus on people has stood the test of time, the rigor of science, and the challenge of practice. Although its original conceptual model has proven persuasive in the last three decades, it has also been further elaborated by contributions from different disciplines. Speaking to and engaging different audiences is a virtue of the approach but it has also dispersed the debate. Accounting for this progress in an interdisciplinary and accessible way is the purpose of this paper. The current model expands on the main aspects of the CA, namely capabilities, funtionings, agency, and conversion factors, and adds the relevant aspect of rationality. This shows an increasing interest in explanation as well as understanding. In both elements, as well as in all of its main aspects, there seems to be still room for growth. References

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