CALQ IDS Lecture series Soci al Justice and Development 2011 // Meltem Karabulut, 5730848, group 2
The Capability Approach and the Politics of a Social Conception of Wellbeing
Séverine Deneuling and J. Allister McGregor
Core quotation “Our ability to decide on what valuable functionings constitute our wellbeing is
shaped by our conscious and sub-conscious exposure to irreducibly social shared meanings.”
(Deneulin, McGregor 2010: 18)
Argument The capability approach reasons that the central focus of public policy should be the
wellbeing of human beings. The capabilities of people and with this their wellbeing, will expand by
undertaking or achieving what they have reason to value. The capability approach contains three
main concepts. One is the functionings, a person’s well-being will originate from the things that a
person value doing or being. Furthermore the concept of capabilities, which relates to the freedom
of human beings function, and thus refers to the real opportunity to accomplish what human beings
value most. Last but not least, the concept of agency, which refers to the process and the ability to
seek after the valued objective. Deneuling & McGreggor (2010) argue the concepts of functioning,
capability and agency are socially and psychologically determined within, and transmitted through
specific social and cultural context. Sen’s capability approach has a liberal character and emphasizes
the human freedom of an individual as the ultimate value of human life, which according to the
authors is considered as the main problem of the approach. A person’s state of wellbeing should not
be considered as separate from the society. Wellbeing is conceived, pursued and achieved differently
in the wider structures of society. A social wellbeing framework and methodology will give insights
into the way in which some people’s views of wellbeing conflict with others and how in some
circumstances the pursuit of wellbeing of one individual goes at the expense of another individual.
Sen’s version of the capability approach has too little attention for the social construction of
meanings , when reasoning the valuable freedom of an individual.(Deneulin & McGregor, 2010).
Linkage The concept of social wellbeing as framework is also used in the paper of Coulthard, Jonhson
& McGregor (2011). Human wellbeing is not evenly distributed in the world and the social meanings
which are the basis of values are immensely different. According to the authors, the framework could
offer a useful way for policy makers to address and understand the policy challenge of reconciling
poverty and environmental objectives for development. A social wellbeing framework can provide
clarity in the diverse social relationships and values, which can form the basis for policy in the search
for solutions of sustainable human wellbeing in conjunction with the conservation of fishing
communities (Coulthard, Johnson & McGregor, 2011).
Furthermore, the paper of McGreggor,Camfield & Woodcock (2009) emphasizes that policy makers
should take particular social and geographical context into account, when looking at the needs of
people. The concept of wellbeing, which goes together with the theory of human needs, is very
dynamic and constantly changing. Therefore, the social construction should be considered when
distinguishing the needs and wants of human beings when allocating resources (McGreggor,Camfield
& Woodcock, 2009).
Question What kind of approach would fit a country with internal conflicts and diverge social and/or
political shared meanings of wellbeing, to pursue the wellbeing of people? This is an interesting
question when considering the importance of the social construction of shared meanings and the
effect on the wellbeing of people.
C A L Q // IDS Lecture series Social Justice and Development 2011 // Meltem Karabulut - 5730848
Reference list
Courtyard, S., Johnson, D. & McGregor, J.A. (in press). Poverty, sustainability and human wellbeing:
A social wellbeing approach to the global fisheries crisis. Global Environmental Change.
Deneulin, S. & McGregor, J.A. (2009). The capability approach and the politics of a social
conception of wellbeing. Wellbeing in Developing Countries, Working Paper 9/43.
McGregor, J.A., Camfield, L. & Woodcock, A. (2009). Needs, wants and goals: Wellbeing, quality of
life and public policy. Applied Research Quality Life, 4, 135 – 154.
C A L Q // IDS Lecture series Social Justice and Development 2011 // Meltem Karabulut - 5730848