Abstract
The concluding chapter brings together and develops some of the main themes discussed in the book. Clark, Biggeri and Frediani begin by considering the characteristics of effective and equitable forms of participation, and acknowledge the significance of participation for promoting capabilities of intrinsic and instrumental value for development. They also explore the ways in which the capability approach can contribute to a theory of change to guide participation and promote empowerment. These include procedures to protect individual autonomy and voice, curb vested interests and power imbalances, promote reason and impartiality, and cultivate critical learning and collective agency. The authors then reflect on how the capability approach to participation can be applied at the global as well as the local level, and argue that empowerment plays a crucial role by promoting instrumental freedoms required for effective participation in development. To facilitate empowerment, four integral components of what is dubbed ‘Empowered Learning Systems’ are identified: supportive institutions, relationships of solidarity and trust, critical pedagogy (which incorporates group consciousness and collective agency), and emancipatory outcomes. The chapter closes by demonstrating that there is a reciprocal relationship between democracy as public discussion and empowerment in terms of the formation of capable agents.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Access this chapter
Tax calculation will be finalised at checkout
Purchases are for personal use only
Similar content being viewed by others
Notes
- 1.
Chapter 8 makes the case for avoiding ‘tokenism’ in participatory settings with respect to children.
- 2.
A relevant example relates to the roles played by the social economy and cooperative enterprise. Social enterprises tailor their business model and goals to a transformative vision of development while competing against ‘for profit’ firms (see Birschall, 2003; Sen, 2000; Vicari & de Muro, 2012; Zamagni, 2000).
- 3.
The same approach can guide businesses and social enterprise as well.
- 4.
- 5.
Drèze and Sen (2013) increasingly emphasize symmetric aspects of power in their discussion of India which in turn is inspired by Bhimrao Ramji Ambedkar’s call to ‘educate, agitate and organise’.
- 6.
Such ‘big plans’ have conceptual limits as William Easterly (2006) has forcefully argued. At risk of oversimplification, and perhaps some exaggeration, he writes: ‘In foreign aid, Planners announce good intentions but don’t motivate anyone to carry them out; Searchers find things that work and get some reward. Planners raise expectations but take no responsibility for meeting them; Searchers accept responsibility for their actions. Planners determine what to supply; Searchers find out what is in demand. Planners apply global blueprints; Searchers adapt to local conditions. Planners at the top lack knowledge of the bottom; Searchers find out what the reality is at the bottom. Planners never hear whether the planned got what it needed; Searchers find out if the customer is satisfied’ (Easterly, 2006, p. 5).
- 7.
- 8.
These six dialogues are Localizing the Post-2015 Development Agenda; Helping to strengthen capacities and institutions; Participatory monitoring, existing and new forms of accountability; Partnerships with civil society and other actors; Partnerships with the private sector; and Culture and development (UNDP, 2014). Further details of ongoing dialogues can be found on The World We Want website, https://www.worldwewant2030.org/
- 9.
Goal 17: ‘Strengthen the means of implementation and revitalize the global partnership for sustainable development’.
- 10.
References
Ballet, J., Biggeri, M., & Comim, F. (2011). Children’s Agency and the Capability Approach: A Conceptual Framework. In M. Biggeri, J. Ballet, & F. Comim (Eds.), Children and the Capability Approach (pp. 22–45). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Becattini, G. (2015). La coscienza dei luoghi: Il territorio come soggetto corale [The Conscience of Places: The Territory as a Choral Subject]. Roma, Italy: Donzelli.
Biggeri, M., Comim, F., & Ballet, J. (2011). Final Remarks and Conclusions: The Promotion of Children’s Active Participation. In M. Biggeri, J. Ballet, & F. Comim (Eds.), Children and the Capability Approach (pp. 340–345). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Biggeri, M., & Ferrannini, A. (2014a). Opportunity Gap Analysis: Procedures and Methods for Applying the Capability Approach in Development Initiatives. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 15(1), 60–78.
Biggeri, M., & Ferrannini, A. (2014b). Sustainable Human Development: A New Territorial and People-Centred Perspective. Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Biggeri, M., Ferrannini, F., & Arciprete, C. (2018). Local Communities and Capability Evolution: The Core of Human Development Processes. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 19(2), 126–146.
Biggeri, M., Ferrannini, F., & Paoli, L. (2016). Where Change Happens: Local Governance to Tackle Multidimensional Poverty and Inequality (Position Paper of Oxfam and ARCO).
Biggeri, M., & Libanora, R. (2011). From Valuing to Evaluating: Tools and Procedures to Operationalise the Capability Approach. In M. Biggeri, J. Ballet, & F. Comim (Eds.), Children and the Capability Approach (pp. 79–106). Basingstoke, UK: Palgrave Macmillan.
Biggeri, M., & Santi, M. (2012). Missing Dimensions of Children’s Well-being and Well-Becoming in Education Systems: Capabilities and Philosophy for Children. Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 13(3), 373–395.
Birschall, J. (2003). Rediscovering the Co-operative Advantage: Poverty Reduction Through Self-help. Geneva, Switzerland: ILO.
Boni, A., & Frediani, A. A. (forthcoming). Expanding Capabilities Through Participatory Action Research. In E. Chiappero-Martinetti, S. Osmani, & M. Qizilbash (Eds.), Cambridge Handbook of the Capability Approach. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University Press.
Bonvin, J. M., & Galster, D. (2010). Making Them Employable or Capable: Social Integration Policy at the Crossroads. In H. U. Otto & H. Ziegler (Eds.), Education, Welfare and the Capabilities Approach (pp. 71–84). Opladen, Germany: Barbara Budrich Publishers.
Chang, H-J., & Green, D. (2004). Reclaiming Development: An Alternative Economic Policy Manual. London: Zed Books.
Clark, D. A. (2002). Visions of Development: A Study of Human Values. Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Clark, D. A. (2006). Introduction: Development Studies in the Twenty-first Century. In D. A. Clark (Ed.), The Elgar Companion to Development Studies (pp. xxvi–xxli). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Clark, D. A. (2013). Creating Capabilities, Lists and Thresholds: Whose Voices, Value Judgements and Intuitions Count? Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 14(1), 172–184.
Clark, D. A. (2017). Valuing and Revaluing Education: What Can We Learn About Measurement from the South African Poor? Comparative Education, 53(1), 54–80.
Cooke, B., & Kothari, U. (Eds.). (2001). Participation: The New Tyranny? London: Zed Books.
Cooke, P., & Morgan, K. (1998). The Associational Economy: Firms, Regions and Innovation. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Dei Ottati, G. (2002). Social Concertation and Local Development: The Case of Industrial Districts. European Planning Studies, 10(4), 449–466.
Drèze, J. (2008). India’s Employment Guarantee Act: Reclaiming Policy Space. In A. Deshpande (Ed.), Globalization and Development: A Handbook of New Perspectives (pp. 259–270). New Delhi, India: Oxford University Press.
Drèze, J., & Sen, A. K. (2002). India, Development and Participation. New Delhi, India/New York: Oxford University Press.
Drèze, J., & Sen, A. K. (2013). An Uncertain Glory: India and Its Contradictions. Princeton, NJ: Princeton University Press.
Easterly, W. (2006). The White Man’s Burden: Why the West’s Efforts to Aid the Rest Have Done So Much Ill and So Little Good. New York: Penguin Press.
Frediani, A. A. (2010). Sen’s Capability Approach as a Framework to the Practice of Development. Development in Practice, 20(2), 173–187.
Freire, P. (1970). Pedagogy of the Oppressed. New York: Continuum.
Habermas, J. (1981[1984]). The Theory of Communicative Action, Volume 1: Reason and the Realisation of Society. Boston, MA: Beacon Press.
Hulme, D. (2009). The Millennium Development Goals (MDGs): A Short History of the World’s Biggest Promise (BWPI Working Paper 100). Manchester, UK: Brooks World Poverty Institute, University of Manchester.
Ibrahim, S. (2011). Poverty, Aspirations and Wellbeing: Afraid to Aspire and Unable to Reach a Better Life – Voices from Egypt (BWPI Working Paper 141). Manchester, UK: University of Manchester.
Khor, M. (2003). Globalization, Global Governance and the Dilemmas of Development. In H.-J. Chang (Ed.), Rethinking Development Economics (pp. 523–544). London: Anthem Press.
Lambooy, J. (2000). Learning and Agglomeration Economies: Adapting to Differentiating Economic Structures. In F. Boekema, K. Morgan, S. Bakkers, & R. Rutten (Eds.), Knowledge, Innovation and Economic Growth: The Theory and Practice of Learning Regions (pp. 17–37). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Norton, A., & Stuart, E. (2014). How Far Down the Road? Comments on the Secretary-General’s Synthesis Report on Post-2015 (ODI Report, December). London: Overseas Development Institute. https://www.odi.org/publications/9116-sdgs-post-2015-secretary-general-owg. Last Accessed 9 Feb 2017.
Nussbaum, M. (2006). Frontiers of Justice: Disability, Nationality, Species Membership. Cambridge, MA: The Belknap Press.
OECD. (2005/08). The Paris Declaration on Aid Effectiveness and the Accra Agenda for Action. Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development. http://www.oecd.org/development/effectiveness/34428351.pdf. Last Accessed 6 Mar 2017.
Santi, M., & Di Masi, D. (2014). Pedagogies to Develop Children’s Agency in Schools. In C. Hart, M. Biggeri, & B. Babic (Eds.), Agency and Participation in Childhood and Youth (pp. 123–144). London: Bloomsbury.
Sen, A. K. (1985a). Commodities and Capabilities. Amsterdam: North Holland.
Sen, A. K. (1985b). Well-being, Agency and Freedom. Journal of Philosophy, 82(4), 169–221.
Sen, A. K. (1990). Gender and Cooperative Conflicts. In I. Tinker (Ed.), Persistent Inequalities (pp. 123–149). New York: Oxford University Press.
Sen, A. K. (1993). Capability and Well-being. In M. C. Nussbaum & A. K. Sen (Eds.), The Quality of Life (pp. 30–53). Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press.
Sen, A. K. (1999a). Democracy as a Universal Value. Journal of Democracy, 10(3), 3–17.
Sen, A. K. (1999b). Development as Freedom. Oxford, UK: Oxford University Press.
Sen, A. K. (2000). Democrazia cooperativa e globalizzazione. Il Ponte, 56(11–12), 107–116.
Sen, A. K. (2004). Capabilities, Lists and Public Reason: Continuing the Conversation. Feminist Economics, 10(3), 77–80.
Sen, A. K. (2006). Identity and Violence: The Illusion of Destiny. London: Allen Lane.
Sen, A. K. (2009). The Idea of Justice. London: Allen Lane.
Smith, A. (1759 [1976]). The Theory of Moral Sentiments. Oxford, UK: Clarendon Press.
UNDP. (2016). An Integrated Framework to Support Local Governance and Local Development. New York: United Nations Development Program.
United Nations. (2018). Sustainable Development Knowledge Platform. https://sustainabledevelopment.un.org/. Last Accessed 20 Feb 2018.
UNSD (2018). SDG Indicators: Global Indicator Framework for the Sustainable Development Goals and Targets of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development. United Nations Statistical Division, Department of Economic and Social Affairs. https://unstats.un.org/sdgs/indicators/indicators-list/. Last accessed 20 Jan 2019.
Vicari, S., & de Muro, P. (2012). The Cooperative as Institution for Human Development (Working Paper 156). Rome: Department of Economics, University of Roma.
White, H. (2006). Millennium Development Goals. In D. A. Clark (Ed.), The Elgar Companion to Development Studies (pp. 382–389). Cheltenham, UK: Edward Elgar.
Zamagni, S. (2000). L’impresa cooperativa nell’era della globalizzazione. Il Ponte, 56(11–12), 117–126.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Editor information
Editors and Affiliations
Copyright information
© 2019 The Author(s)
About this chapter
Cite this chapter
Clark, D.A., Biggeri, M., Frediani, A.A. (2019). Participation, Empowerment and Capabilities: Key Lessons and Future Challenges. In: Clark, D.A., Biggeri, M., Frediani, A.A. (eds) The Capability Approach, Empowerment and Participation. Rethinking International Development series. Palgrave Macmillan, London. https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-35230-9_15
Download citation
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1057/978-1-137-35230-9_15
Published:
Publisher Name: Palgrave Macmillan, London
Print ISBN: 978-1-137-35229-3
Online ISBN: 978-1-137-35230-9
eBook Packages: Political Science and International StudiesPolitical Science and International Studies (R0)