I Libri della Fondazione Giangiacomo Feltrinelli

Debating Global Society: Reach and Limits of the Capability Approach grew out of a recent edition of the Giangiacomo Feltrinelli Foundation's annual Cortona Colloquium, an international event aimed at doctoral candidates and young researchers who, together with more senior scholars, explore critical contemporary themes from a broad range of disciplines and perspectives.

The book explores both the strengths and limitations of the capability approach (CA), Sen's paradigmatic theoretical framework for conceptualizing and measuring human development, poverty, well-being, and gender equity. First sketched out in the early 1980s, the CA is a groundbreaking approach that evaluates the latter by focusing on people's substantive freedoms and opportunities to live in the manner that is of most value to them, rather than merely their economic status or their access to goods and resources.

Alongside Sen's contribution the volume contains nine other original papers. The first four look at the conceptual foundations of the capability approach (CA), discussing some of its more challenging methodological and empirical aspects and providing a review of the literature on the most well-known CA-based empirical applications to date. The second part of the volume includes papers written by five junior scholars who focus on a broad range of capability-related topics, developing new lines of re-search in the field.

How to purchase the book:

As a non-profit entity the Feltrinelli Foundation cannot sell publications. However, you may purchase this book online from two Italian websites:

- For delivery within Italy visit www.lafeltrinelli.it, the website of the "La Feltrinelli" bookstores (in Italian only).
- For delivery outside of Italy visit www.ibs.it. This website is also in Italian only, but the downloadable PDF at the bottom of this page provides step-by-step instructions in English for making your purchase.