Les outils d'évaluation, utilisés en France pour éclairer les décideurs sur les politiques de transports en milieu urbain, n'intègrent pas pleinement la dimension sociale de ces politiques. Or, cet enjeu devient primordial. En s'appuyant sur l'approche théorique de Amartya Sen, l'objectif de notre thèse est de construire une méthode d'évaluation permettant de rendre compte de cette dimension, en termes d'égalité des chances d'accès aux activités de reproduction sociale. Pour ce faire, nous construisons un outil identifiant, au niveau infra-communal, les groupes sociaux et les quartiers riches ou pauvres de l'espace urbain. Puis, nous construisons un indicateur d'accessibilité à un panier de biens. Cet indicateur mesure, pour un mode de déplacement donné, pour chaque service du panier de biens et depuis le lieu de résidence, le temps maximal d'accès au nombre d'activités pour 1 000 habitants. Cet indicateur prend en compte les différents sous-systèmes de l'espace urbain.<br /><br />La méthode est déclinée sur l'agglomération lyonnaise. Nous montrons, tout d'abord, l'existence entre les individus et entre les quartiers d'inégalité de chances d'accès au panier de biens en 1999. Ces inégalités procèdent principalement d'un inégal accès à l'automobile (trois fois plus performante que les transports collectifs en termes de temps d'accès au panier de biens), mais aussi de la répartition hétérogène des activités et de la qualité de l'offre en transports collectifs. L'évolution de la localisation des activités entre 1990 et 1999 met en évidence une aggravation des inégalités d'accès entre les quartiers pauvres et les quartiers riches. Tout se passe comme si les populations aisées façonnaient la division fonctionnelle du sol et la localisation des activités, au détriment des populations les plus fragiles. Nous montrons enfin qu'une amélioration forte de l'offre en transports collectifs a des impacts limités qui souvent peinent à compenser les pertes d'accessibilité dues à l'évolution de la localisation des activités.

India is celebrated as the largest democracy in the world but is it truly democratic? Is it the nation-state that its founder’s envisioned it to be? Has it addressed it ancient issue of social diversity? This paper seeks to assess the present problem faced by the Indian Democracy; problems based on India’s inherent social diversity. Furthermore the paper seeks to recommend a solution based on Amartya Sen’s Open Impartiality approach that will allow the country to reassess its democratic platform. The paper also aims at providing a starting point to execute Sen’s approach by exploring the vision of two of India’s independence leaders: Mohandas Karamchandra Gandhi and Rabindranath Tagore.

Menstrual hygiene management (MHM) has for long been a neglected topic within development research, policy and practice, despite findings recognising how insufficient MHM poses obstacles to women and girls’ well-being and quality of life. Those living in low-resource settings are especially vulnerable to such challenges. This thesis aims to provide empirical evidence for the relationship between improved MHM and human development. Amartya Sen’s capability approach serves as the starting point, suggesting that development is the process of expanding capabilities to lead a life one has reason to value. It is argued that the use of menstrual cups enables the achievement of capabilities, by removing obstacles to these. This hypothesis is tested using material collected during a field study in Uganda. Two groups of women and girls have been interviewed and compared – one in which everyone is using menstrual cups, and one in which everyone is using pads or cloths. The results show that capabilities to a larger extent are achieved among the women and girls using menstrual cups, than among those using pads or cloths. Moreover, obstacles to capabilities were predominantly present in the second group. The findings thereby support the theoretical argument, demonstrating that the use of menstrual cups removes obstacles – positively impacting capabilities. This highlights the importance of considering MHM as a key aspect of sustainable development.

Previous studies by Cornforth (2003, 2004), Cornelius et al. (2008), Cornelius and Wallace (2010), and Wallace and Cornelius (2010) highlight the need for further research in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for social enterprises and how their governance systems facilitate social outcomes when aligned to organisational mission. Against this backdrop, the main aim of this study is: to investigate the extent to which social enterprises (not-for-profit social providers) pursue ethical practices and social policies underpinned by their CSR agendas that enhance their stakeholders’ capabilities. The conceptual framework for the study is built on Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach (Sen 1991, 1999). Primary data were collected from face-to-face, in-depth, semi structured interviews with twelve owner-managers of small social enterprises from Bradford, UK. These were designed to understand their enterprise’s ethical views towards the development of deprived communities and the role this has in formulating their enterprise’s CSR agenda. The interview data were transcribed and analysed using constructivist grounded theory. The findings suggest that external CSR provision is often prompted as an immediate reaction to problematic issues arising in society. In general, it consequently lacks sustainability and is insufficiently evaluated for long term social impact. It is therefore argued that the CSR agenda for social enterprises should be based more on the organisation’s social ethos than the current process. Moreover, the findings emphasise the importance of social strategy emanating from governance mechanisms as this was identified as critical for the implementation of the CSR agenda so that social value is created in a structured and planned manner. These findings make a contribution to knowledge by providing conceptual and empirical insights regarding the consequences of social enterprises incorporating capabilities into their CSR policies and practices, and its social impact. Moreover, a conceptual model is developed that reflects the strategic importance of such a convergence in achieving this dual purpose.

O presente trabalho desenvolve um modelo capaz de descrever preferências dependentes de contexto, buscando superar as limitações impostas pela abordagem da preferência revelada. O espaço informacional no ato da escolha é ampliado através da incorporação de uma segunda dimensão, na forma de um novo tipo de utilidade, dita social ou moral, representativa do contexto no qual a escolha é realizada. As dimensões são assumidas incomensuráveis entre si, uma característica típica de escolhas que envolvem questões morais. A impossibilidade de comparação entre duas alternativas, cada qual superior à outra em uma dimensão distinta, é resolvida através de uma simetria rotacional capaz de preservar a relação sujacente entre ambas utilidades. O modelo é baseado, fundamentalmente, nos trabalhos de Amartya Sen (1974, 1977, 1993, 1997) e Amitai Etzioni (1986), incorporando conceitos de utilidade moral (ETZIONI, 1986), dependência de contexto no ato da escolha (SEN, 1993, 1997), inescapabilidade ou urgência da escolha (SEN, 1997), auto-imposição de limites à escolha (SEN, 1997; ETZIONI, 1986), commitment, entendido como divisão entre escolha e bem-estar (SEN, 1977) e flexibilidade cognitiva dos indivíduos (ARIELY, 2012). / In this work, we develop a model that is able to describe context-dependent preferences, trying to overcome the limitations given by the revealed preference approach. The informational space in the act of choice is broadened by incorporating a second dimension, as a new type of utility, called social or moral, representing the context within the choice is made. The dimensions are deemed incommensurable, a typical characteristic of moral-related choices. The impossibility of comparison between two alternatives, where each alternative is the superior one in a different dimension, is resolved through a rotational symmetry able to preserve the underlying relationship between the two utilities. The model is fundamentally based on the works of Amartya Sen (1974, 1977, 1993, 1997) and Amitai Etzioni (1986), making use of the concepts of moral utility (ETZIONI, 1986), context-dependency in the act of choice (SEN, 1993, 1997), inescapability or urgency of the choice (SEN, 1997), self-imposing limits to choice (SEN, 1997; ETZIONI, 1986), commitment, understood as a wedge between choice and welfare (SEN, 1977) and the cognitive flexibility of the individuals (ARIELY, 2012).

O presente trabalho desenvolve um modelo capaz de descrever preferências dependentes de contexto, buscando superar as limitações impostas pela abordagem da preferência revelada. O espaço informacional no ato da escolha é ampliado através da incorporação de uma segunda dimensão, na forma de um novo tipo de utilidade, dita social ou moral, representativa do contexto no qual a escolha é realizada. As dimensões são assumidas incomensuráveis entre si, uma característica típica de escolhas que envolvem questões morais. A impossibilidade de comparação entre duas alternativas, cada qual superior à outra em uma dimensão distinta, é resolvida através de uma simetria rotacional capaz de preservar a relação sujacente entre ambas utilidades. O modelo é baseado, fundamentalmente, nos trabalhos de Amartya Sen (1974, 1977, 1993, 1997) e Amitai Etzioni (1986), incorporando conceitos de utilidade moral (ETZIONI, 1986), dependência de contexto no ato da escolha (SEN, 1993, 1997), inescapabilidade ou urgência da escolha (SEN, 1997), auto-imposição de limites à escolha (SEN, 1997; ETZIONI, 1986), commitment, entendido como divisão entre escolha e bem-estar (SEN, 1977) e flexibilidade cognitiva dos indivíduos (ARIELY, 2012). / In this work, we develop a model that is able to describe context-dependent preferences, trying to overcome the limitations given by the revealed preference approach. The informational space in the act of choice is broadened by incorporating a second dimension, as a new type of utility, called social or moral, representing the context within the choice is made. The dimensions are deemed incommensurable, a typical characteristic of moral-related choices. The impossibility of comparison between two alternatives, where each alternative is the superior one in a different dimension, is resolved through a rotational symmetry able to preserve the underlying relationship between the two utilities. The model is fundamentally based on the works of Amartya Sen (1974, 1977, 1993, 1997) and Amitai Etzioni (1986), making use of the concepts of moral utility (ETZIONI, 1986), context-dependency in the act of choice (SEN, 1993, 1997), inescapability or urgency of the choice (SEN, 1997), self-imposing limits to choice (SEN, 1997; ETZIONI, 1986), commitment, understood as a wedge between choice and welfare (SEN, 1977) and the cognitive flexibility of the individuals (ARIELY, 2012).

The image of Islam A historiographical study of Islam in Swedish research. A society`s image of a foreign people, culture and religion changes constantly depending on social, political and other important events. Today Islam is the second largest religion in Sweden after Christianity and that is why it has become important to study the Swedish image of Islam, Muhammed and the Islamic world during the last century. This study is a historiographical and examines the work of six different Swedish authors between the year 1918 to 1930 and 1979 to 2011. The aim of studying these works is to examine whether there has been changes in the Swedish view of Islam, Muhammed and Muslim societies. The theoretical starting point of this study is based on the economist Amartya Sen`s view on identity as multidimensional. According to Sen, a too strong emphasis on ethnic, cultural and religious identities tends to create antagonism and conflicts between different group of peoples. That is why, according to Sen, it is important to emphasize the similarities between different cultures instead of only focus on their differences. Also, Samual P. Huntington`s thesis that emphasizes the differences between religious civilizations in the world who struggle for power and influence is used in this study. The investigation shows that there are differences between the authors from 1918 to 1930 and 1979 to 2011 in their description of Islam, Muhammed and Muslim societies. While the older authors focus mostly on Islam`s past, the contemporary authors deal mostly with Islam in present times. The investigation also demonstrates that the older authors in general give a positive description of Islam`s earlier history, while they depict Islam and Muslim societies as stagnant and reactionary in modern times. The result confirms earlier studies who show similar tendencies on description of Islamic and other Non-Western societies.

Tesis por compendio / [EN] Amartya Sen's Capability Approach (CA) makes an important contribution to the development literature. It moves from the conventional focus on a single indicator: opulence, to an emphasis on people, their plurality, and the multiple dimensions characterizing their quality of life. As such, it proposes an influential account of human beings and their agency. Its advantages notwithstanding, its notion of agency seems to warrant in depth scrutiny. This dissertation explores the actual scope of the CA's agency as well as its limitations, and suggests a way to complement it. An account of the capabilitarian agent encompasses two elements: freedom or choice and rationality or reasoning. Thus, the CA rejects the conventional rational agent, advancing instead a reasoning one. As such, the CA's agency seems to require attention to measurement and explanation (observables) as well as to meaning and interpretation (unobservables), which demands moving beyond a positivistic philosophy of science. At the same time, it is found that this notion seems to leave people who have others choosing and reasoning for them unaccounted for. To provide a complement the CA on both counts, John Dewey's pragmatism is proposed. It is a philosophy that provides an account of how people think and act. The elaboration of pragmatic agency is carried out from philosophical ontology. Pragmatism is located within the analyticist philosophy of science, as it adheres to mind-world monism and phenomenalism. While the former is evidenced in its concept of transaction, suggesting the mutual constitution of humans and their contexts, the latter is evidenced in its attention to objects, which are anything that a person notices (including in-principle unobservables). The meanings of objects are expressed in terms of action and depend on habits, which are predispositions for actions and, as such, more intimate and informative than choices. Pragmatism, therefore, encompasses more than reflective action.. Accounting for the pragmatic transagent, thus, requires the scrutiny of objects and habits, which implies the inclusion of meaning and interpretation. Consequently, it is found that the CA's reasoning agent can benefit from the inclusion of in-principle unbservables by dint of pragmatic objects and habits, enhance the elements constituting individuals with these same elements, make sense of the nature and function of values and preferences, and enrich its account of the relation between individuals and their context by dint of pragmatic transaction. Therefore, the pragmatic transagent can account for the groups dropped by the CA. Additionally, pragmatism can complement the CA in other aspects. Concerning ontology, while the CA has abstained from addressing ontological issues, pragmatism is found to adhere to an analyticist philosophy of science, which seems to agree with the CA's reasoning agent and its constituting elements: choice (observables) and reasoning (unobservables). As for empirical issues, the CA has supported its flexibility on a lay understanding of pragmatism, since it seems to maintain positivist traces. Subscribing to it philosophically could prove beneficial. Apropos of freedom, pragmatism's naturalist philosophy can contribute to alleviate the CA's focus on choice and to account for the continuity of behavior, encompassing non-reflective as well as reflective action, seemingly the main focus of the CA. With respect to democracy, pragmatism casts a wider net than the CA applying democracy to all levels of human association, not only society or the state, which seems to be the CA's concern. Finally, as regards normativity, although both are consequentialist, while the CA holds freedom and achievement as the end, pragmatism advances solely action. These are not incompatible positions. To the extent that the CA can further action, a pragmatic capability approach can accommodate regarding development as freedom. / [ES] El Enfoque de Capacidad (EC) de Amartya Sen hace una importante contribución a la literatura del desarrollo. Se mueve del enfoque convencional en un único indicador: opulencia, a un énfasis en la gente, su pluralidad, y las múltiples dimensiones que caracterizan su calidad de vida. Así, propone una explicación de los seres humanos y su agencia. Sin perjuicio de sus ventajas, su noción de agencia parece merecer estudio a profundidad. Esta disertación explora el alcance real de la agencia del EC así como sus limitaciones, y sugiere una forma de complementarla. Una elaboración del agente capacitario abarca dos elementos: libertad o elección y racionalidad o razonamiento. Así, el EC rechaza al agente racional convencional y promueve uno razonante. Por tanto, la agencia del EC parece requerir atención a la medición y explicación (observables) así como al significado e interpretación (inobservables), lo que demanda moverse más allá de una filosofía de la ciencia positivista. Al mismo tiempo, se encuentra que esta noción parece dejar gente que tiene a otros eligiendo y razonando por ellos sin explicación. Para brindar un complemento al EC en ambos aspectos, se propone el pragmatismo de John Dewey. Es una filosofía con una propuesta de cómo la gente piensa y actúa. La elaboración de la agencia pragmática se hace desde la ontología filosófica. El pragmatismo se ubica como una filosofía de la ciencia analiticista pues adopta el monismo mente-mundo y el fenomenalismo. Mientras el primero se evidencia en su concepto de transacción, sugiriendo una mutua constitución entre humanos y contextos, el segundo lo hace en su atención a objetos, todo lo que una persona nota (incluyendo en principio inobservables). El significado de los objetos se expresa en términos de acción y dependen de hábitos, que son predisposiciones para acciones y, por tanto, son más íntimos e informativos que las elecciones. Así, se abarca más que la acción reflexiva. Explicar al transagente pragmático requiere el estudio de objetivos y hábitos, lo que implica la inclusión de significados e interpretación. Consecuentemente, se encuentra que el agente razonante del EC puede beneficiarse de la inclusión de en principio inobservables mediante los objetos y hábitos pragmáticos, ampliar los elementos que constituyen a los individuos con los mismos elementos, darle sentido a la naturaleza y función de valores y preferencias, y enriquecer su explicación de la relación entre individuos y su contexto mediante la transacción pragmática. Por tanto, el transagente pragmático puede incluir grupos abandonados por el EC. Adicionalmente, el pragmatismo puede complementar al EC en otros aspectos. Sobre la ontología, mientras el EC se ha abstenido de tratar temas ontológicos, el pragmatismo se adhiere a una filosofía de las ciencias analiticista, que parece coincidir con el agente razonante del EC y sus elementos constitutivos: elección (observables) y razonamiento (inobservables). Con respecto a asuntos empíricos, el EC ha basado su flexibilidad en un entendimiento inexperto del pragmatismo, ya que parece mantener rastros positivistas. Suscribirse a su filosofía puede resultar beneficioso. A propósito de la libertad, la filosofía naturalista del pragmatismo puede ayudar a aliviar la atención del EC a la elección y abordar la continuidad del comportamiento, abarcando acción no reflexiva y reflexiva, que parece ser el énfasis del EC. Sobre la democracia, el pragmatismo amplía la red más allá que el EC al aplicar la democracia a todos los niveles de asociación humana, no solo la sociedad y el estado, que parece ser el interés del EC. Finalmente, acerca de la normatividad, aunque ambos son consecuencialistas, mientras el EC propone las capacidad y funcionamientos como fines, el pragmatismo promueve la acción. Estas no son posiciones incompatibles. En la medida en que el EC pueda avanzar la acción, un enfoque de capacidad pragmático puede alojar considerar al desarrollo como libertad. / [CA] L'Enfocament de Capacitat (EC) d'Amartya Sen fa una important contribucio a la lliteratura del desenroll. Se mou de l'enfocament convencional en un unic indicador: opulencia, a un emfatis en la gent, la seua pluralitat, i les multiples dimensions que caracterisen la seua calitat de vida. Aixina, propon una explicacio dels sers humans i la seua agencia. Sense perjuï de les seues ventages, la seua nocio d'agencia sembla mereixer estudi a fondaria. Esta dissertacio explora l'alcanç real de l'agencia de l'EC aixina com les seues llimitacions, i sugerix una forma de complementar-la. Una elaboracio de l'agent capacitat albarca dos elements: llibertat o eleccio i racionalitat o raonament. Aixina, l'EC rebuja a l'agent racional convencional i promou un raonant. Per tant, l'agencia de l'EC sembla requerir atencio a la medicio i explicacio (observables) aixina com al significat i interpretacio (inobservables), lo que demanda moure's mes alla d'una filosofia de la ciencia positivista. Al mateix temps, se troba que esta nocio sembla deixar gent que te a atres triant i raonant per ells sense explicacio. Per a brindar un complement a l'EC en abdos aspectes, se propon el pragmatisme de John Dewey. Es una filosofia en una proposta de com la gent pensa i actua. L'elaboracio de l'agencia pragmatica se fa des de l'ontologia filosofica. El pragmatisme s'ubica com una filosofia de la ciencia analiticist puix adopta el monisme ment-mon i el fenomenalisme. Mentres el primer s'evidencia en el seu concepte de transaccio, sugerint una mutua constitucio entre humans i contexts, el segon ho fa en la seua atencio a objectes, tot lo que una persona nota (incloent en principi inobservables). El significat dels objectes s'expressa en termens d'accio i depenen d'habits, que son predisposicions per a accions i, per tant, son mes intims i informatius que les eleccions. Aixina, se compren mes que l'accio reflexiva. Explicar al transagent pragmatic requerix l'estudi d'objectius i habits, lo que implica l'inclusio de significats i interpretacio. Conseqüentment, se troba que l'agent raonant de l'EC pot beneficiar-se de l'inclusio d'en principi inobservables mediant els objectes i habits pragmatics, ampliar els elements que constituixen als individus en els mateixos elements, donar-li sentit a la naturalea i funcio de valors i preferencies, i enriquir la seua explicacio de la relacio entre individus i el seu context mediant la transaccio pragmatica. Per tant, el transagent pragmatic pot incloure grups abandonats per l'EC. Adicionalment, el pragmatisme pot complementar a l'EC en atres aspectes. Sobre l'ontologia, mentres l'EC s'ha abstingut de tractar temes ontologics, el pragmatisme s'adherix a una filosofia de les ciencies analiticist, que sembla coincidir en l'agent raonant de l'EC i els seus elements constitutius: eleccio (observables) i raonament (inobservables). En respecte a assunts empirics, l'EC ha basat la seua flexibilitat en un enteniment inexpert del pragmatisme, ya que sembla mantindre rastres positivistes. Subscriure's a la seua filosofia pot resultar beneficios. A proposit de la llibertat, la filosofia naturalista del pragmatisme pot ajudar a aliviar l'atencio de l'EC a l'eleccio i abordar la continuïtat del comportament, comprenent accio no reflexiva i reflexiva, que sembla ser el emfatis de l'EC. Sobre la democracia, el pragmatisme amplia la xarcia mes alla que l'EC a l'aplicar la democracia a tots els nivells d'associacio humana, no nomes la societat i l'estat, que sembla ser l'interes de l'EC. Finalment, al voltant de la normativitat, encara que abdos son conseqüèncialistes, mentres l'EC propon les capacitat i funcionaments com fins, el pragmatisme promou l'accio. Estes no son posicions incompatibles. En la mesura en que l'EC puga alvançar l'accio, un enfocament de capacitat pragmatica pot estajar considerar al desenroll com llibertat. / Garcés Velástegui, PF. (2020). Towards a pragmatic capability approach: Essays on human development, agency and pragmatism [Tesis doctoral no publicada]. Universitat Politècnica de València. https://doi.org/10.4995/Thesis/10251/153796 / TESIS / Compendio

The portrayal of other groups of people than our own often run the risk of depicting the individuals in these groups in a simplified way. We often view ourselves as complex beings, with several defining memberships connected to our person. These memberships can be as students, siblings, religious, political, friends, and musicians, to name but a few. This definition is not always as certain in our portrayal of others, more foreign to our everyday life. The supporters of the opposing football team or voters of the rivalling political party might just be defined by these confining identities. Examples of this phenomenon are legion in human history, whether it is nazi Germany’s propaganda that dehumanized the Jewish population or Apartheid’s definition of worth through skin colour. The understanding of how this style of simplified portrayal dehumanizes the portrayed subject is important to teach in our schools. The power of our choice of definition of the people around us needs to be taught to students. The first step towards giving students an understanding of the subject is to show them solid examples of this in history. The focus of this study is therefore to analyse letters from Swedish missionaries in South Africa and how they portrayed the South African population during the official introduction of Apartheid. Amartya Sen’s theorem of identity and violence has been used as a tool during the analysis to achieve this goal. The results showed that many of the missionaries changed their portrayal of the black population during the investigation period, 1945–1951, from a simplified to a diverse description. Their depiction of the white population, however, stayed relatively the same during the entire period.

Previous studies by Cornforth (2003, 2004), Cornelius et al. (2008), Cornelius and Wallace (2010), and Wallace and Cornelius (2010) highlight the need for further research in the area of Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) for social enterprises and how their governance systems facilitate social outcomes when aligned to organisational mission. Against this backdrop, the main aim of this study is: to investigate the extent to which social enterprises (not-for-profit social providers) pursue ethical practices and social policies underpinned by their CSR agendas that enhance their stakeholders’ capabilities. The conceptual framework for the study is built on Amartya Sen’s capabilities approach (Sen 1991, 1999). Primary data were collected from face-to-face, in-depth, semi structured interviews with twelve owner-managers of small social enterprises from Bradford, UK. These were designed to understand their enterprise’s ethical views towards the development of deprived communities and the role this has in formulating their enterprise’s CSR agenda. The interview data were transcribed and analysed using constructivist grounded theory. The findings suggest that external CSR provision is often prompted as an immediate reaction to problematic issues arising in society. In general, it consequently lacks sustainability and is insufficiently evaluated for long term social impact. It is therefore argued that the CSR agenda for social enterprises should be based more on the organisation’s social ethos than the current process. Moreover, the findings emphasise the importance of social strategy emanating from governance mechanisms as this was identified as critical for the implementation of the CSR agenda so that social value is created in a structured and planned manner. These findings make a contribution to knowledge by providing conceptual and empirical insights regarding the consequences of social enterprises incorporating capabilities into their CSR policies and practices, and its social impact. Moreover, a conceptual model is developed that reflects the strategic importance of such a convergence in achieving this dual purpose.