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swillsy's review against another edition
3.0
Considering I read this for a module at university, it was actually really interesting. Nussbaum makes some great points and I found myself agreeing with her a lot. It is also written for the general reader so the language is not too technical and it is easy to understand. This is a great book for all those interested in learning a bit more about the human development approach in developmental theories.
nadiadanielsmoehle's review against another edition
Reading sections for work. Fantastic book, will be revisiting it.
nirvanahy's review against another edition
Just read this book in 2015 and found there is in fact nothing new - all have been already said by numerous scholars and international organizations. Yes, development paradigm has been shifted from growth oriented approach (GDP centered) to more human centric approach with the notion of 'creating or enhancing capabilities'. She in my point of view successfully succeeded what has been already built by Amartya Sen's 'development as freedom'. She goes through the concept of capabilities approach and various different concepts like 'dignity', 'choice or freedom', opportunities, social justice,
What are capabilities? They are the answers to the question, "what is this person able to do and to be" In other words, they are what Sen calls "substantial freedoms," a set of opportunities to choose and to act. In one standard formulation by Sen, 'a person's 'capability' refers to the alternative combinations of functioning's that are feasible to her to achieve. Capability is thus a kinds of freedom the substantive freedom to achieve alternative functioning combinations. In other words, they are not just abilities residing inside a person but also the freedoms or opportunities created by a combination of personal abilities and the political social and economic environment. (20)
She then sets a list of Central Capabilities including: Life, Bodily Health, Bodily Integrity, Senses, Imagination, and Thought; Emotions, Practical Reasons, Affiliation, Other Species, Play and Control over one's environment. It's her way of analysis but anyway argues that these are based on human conditions / psychology; yet not a comprehensive list based on human diversity. In the chapter 5, she goes through cultural diversity aspects - being aware of criticisms over human rights argument are western notion, she seems to want to bring counter arguments saying there are indeed other cultures' traditions which are compatible with the western philosophy. But again this is also already done by many other scholars like Sen. Plus, she couldn't got further than that - just mentioned China and India… a bit disappointing.
Apart from that, she tries to go beyond nation state boundary examining global responsibility to less capacitated people. This to me a bit out of focus. Also, again she brought examples of western philosophical influence without going through other backgrounds.
I heard a couple of times her names and fames...so followed several lectures by her. Overall, my impression is that she's just a copier of scholars like Sen without successfully showing any new argument.
"If a country’s Gross Domestic Product increases each year, but so does the percentage of its people deprived of basic education, health care, and other opportunities, is that country really making progress? If we rely on conventional economic indicators, can we ever grasp how the world’s billions of individuals are really managing?
In this powerful critique, Martha Nussbaum argues that our dominant theories of development have given us policies that ignore our most basic human needs for dignity and self-respect. For the past twenty-five years, Nussbaum has been working on an alternate model to assess human development: the Capabilities Approach. She and her colleagues begin with the simplest of questions: What is each person actually able to do and to be? What real opportunities are available to them?
The Capabilities Approach to human progress has until now been expounded only in specialized works. Creating Capabilities, however, affords anyone interested in issues of human development a wonderfully lucid account of the structure and practical implications of an alternate model. It demonstrates a path to justice for both humans and nonhumans, weighs its relevance against other philosophical stances, and reveals the value of its universal guidelines even as it acknowledges cultural difference. In our era of unjustifiable inequity, Nussbaum shows how—by attending to the narratives of individuals and grasping the daily impact of policy—we can enable people everywhere to live full and creative lives."
What are capabilities? They are the answers to the question, "what is this person able to do and to be" In other words, they are what Sen calls "substantial freedoms," a set of opportunities to choose and to act. In one standard formulation by Sen, 'a person's 'capability' refers to the alternative combinations of functioning's that are feasible to her to achieve. Capability is thus a kinds of freedom the substantive freedom to achieve alternative functioning combinations. In other words, they are not just abilities residing inside a person but also the freedoms or opportunities created by a combination of personal abilities and the political social and economic environment. (20)
She then sets a list of Central Capabilities including: Life, Bodily Health, Bodily Integrity, Senses, Imagination, and Thought; Emotions, Practical Reasons, Affiliation, Other Species, Play and Control over one's environment. It's her way of analysis but anyway argues that these are based on human conditions / psychology; yet not a comprehensive list based on human diversity. In the chapter 5, she goes through cultural diversity aspects - being aware of criticisms over human rights argument are western notion, she seems to want to bring counter arguments saying there are indeed other cultures' traditions which are compatible with the western philosophy. But again this is also already done by many other scholars like Sen. Plus, she couldn't got further than that - just mentioned China and India… a bit disappointing.
Apart from that, she tries to go beyond nation state boundary examining global responsibility to less capacitated people. This to me a bit out of focus. Also, again she brought examples of western philosophical influence without going through other backgrounds.
I heard a couple of times her names and fames...so followed several lectures by her. Overall, my impression is that she's just a copier of scholars like Sen without successfully showing any new argument.
"If a country’s Gross Domestic Product increases each year, but so does the percentage of its people deprived of basic education, health care, and other opportunities, is that country really making progress? If we rely on conventional economic indicators, can we ever grasp how the world’s billions of individuals are really managing?
In this powerful critique, Martha Nussbaum argues that our dominant theories of development have given us policies that ignore our most basic human needs for dignity and self-respect. For the past twenty-five years, Nussbaum has been working on an alternate model to assess human development: the Capabilities Approach. She and her colleagues begin with the simplest of questions: What is each person actually able to do and to be? What real opportunities are available to them?
The Capabilities Approach to human progress has until now been expounded only in specialized works. Creating Capabilities, however, affords anyone interested in issues of human development a wonderfully lucid account of the structure and practical implications of an alternate model. It demonstrates a path to justice for both humans and nonhumans, weighs its relevance against other philosophical stances, and reveals the value of its universal guidelines even as it acknowledges cultural difference. In our era of unjustifiable inequity, Nussbaum shows how—by attending to the narratives of individuals and grasping the daily impact of policy—we can enable people everywhere to live full and creative lives."
steds's review against another edition
3.0
Great intellectual move in development circles, tougher to see her insistence she is not making a metaphysical claim, especially read in a theology course. Useful for my future work, very accessible, will assign to undergrads.
evee88's review against another edition
2.0
did I really "read" this? No.
it's the libertarian for me
it's the libertarian for me
finnley's review against another edition
5.0
a phenomenal expansion of amartya sen’s “development as freedom”!!!! fav from her for sure.
earlapvaldez's review against another edition
4.0
A very timely read considering that the APEC has just finished and the Philippines has just signed a lot of deals. This is not to mention that we have been measuring our development in terms of economic productivity alone.
inquiry_from_an_anti_library's review against another edition
challenging
informative
reflective
medium-paced
4.0
This book tries to expand on how we evaluate countries. Rather than just a single number, like GDP, the Capabilities Approaches takes into account more factors which impact everyday life. Economies are dynamic, this book has done a good job at looking at more than just a few indicators for explaining an economies strength and weaknesses. An entire chapter was dedicated to other approaches and where they fail in a country evaluation. As the author does credit other evaluations, a confirmation bias is created by simplifying the other approaches and not discussing major limitations of the Capabilities Approach. For example, utilitarianism ask for what works best and creates the most happiness, simplifying that to make it seem wrong actually weakens the capabilities approach for if the capabilities approach does provide the greatest happiness than it is also a utilitarian approach. Through out the majority of the book, the author defends the Capabilities Approach leaving very little room for explaining them. Not such a difficult book to read.
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