Tinonin, Cecilia
(2013)
Constructing validity for capabilities-related indicators.
Bologna:
Dipartimento di Scienze economiche,
p. 20.
DOI
10.6092/unibo/amsacta/3732.
In: Quaderni - Working Paper DSE
(895).
ISSN 2282-6483.
Full text available as:
Abstract
Amartya Sen’s approach to Welfare Economics argues evaluation of individual advantage should occur
in the informational space of the freedom of choice individuals have in achieving valuable human
functionings, that is in the space of capabilities. Furthermore, the identification of what is valuable
involves taking into account ethical reasoning in the explanation of actual human behaviour, that is
agency freedom, as well as the variety of human values. Despite of the recognition of such contribution
to Economic Theory, unavailability of appropriate data and indicators challenges empirical
investigations. This paper aims at overcoming such shortcoming through an assessment of the validity
of an indicator measuring agency freedom as empowered autonomous choice. The empirical
investigation is conducted on a random sample of 136 women in a rural patriarchal village in Uttar
Pradesh, India, through a multi-topic survey instrument. Results indicate agency freedom differs across
domains. In particular, individuals ranking high in the domain of resources simultaneously rank lower
in the domain of empowerment. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests a phenomenon of social
exclusion of those more autonomous. Therefore, policy prescriptions at the community level identify
enhancing collective capabilities as a viable strategy to accommodate the simultaneous coexistence of
empowerment and social inclusion as well as the enhancement of principles of social justice rooted in a
freedom-related metric.
Abstract
Amartya Sen’s approach to Welfare Economics argues evaluation of individual advantage should occur
in the informational space of the freedom of choice individuals have in achieving valuable human
functionings, that is in the space of capabilities. Furthermore, the identification of what is valuable
involves taking into account ethical reasoning in the explanation of actual human behaviour, that is
agency freedom, as well as the variety of human values. Despite of the recognition of such contribution
to Economic Theory, unavailability of appropriate data and indicators challenges empirical
investigations. This paper aims at overcoming such shortcoming through an assessment of the validity
of an indicator measuring agency freedom as empowered autonomous choice. The empirical
investigation is conducted on a random sample of 136 women in a rural patriarchal village in Uttar
Pradesh, India, through a multi-topic survey instrument. Results indicate agency freedom differs across
domains. In particular, individuals ranking high in the domain of resources simultaneously rank lower
in the domain of empowerment. Furthermore, empirical evidence suggests a phenomenon of social
exclusion of those more autonomous. Therefore, policy prescriptions at the community level identify
enhancing collective capabilities as a viable strategy to accommodate the simultaneous coexistence of
empowerment and social inclusion as well as the enhancement of principles of social justice rooted in a
freedom-related metric.
Document type
Monograph
(Working Paper)
Creators
Keywords
Agency, Capability Approach, Empowerment, Poverty, Time-Use
Subjects
ISSN
2282-6483
DOI
Deposit date
30 Jul 2013 10:22
Last modified
03 Oct 2013 08:54
URI
Other metadata
Document type
Monograph
(Working Paper)
Creators
Keywords
Agency, Capability Approach, Empowerment, Poverty, Time-Use
Subjects
ISSN
2282-6483
DOI
Deposit date
30 Jul 2013 10:22
Last modified
03 Oct 2013 08:54
URI
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