The Capabilities Conception of the Individual

Authors

John B. Davis, Marquette UniversityFollow

Document Type

Article

Language

eng

Format of Original

17 p.

Publication Date

12-2009

Publisher

Routledge: Taylor & Francis Group

Source Publication

Review of Social Economy

Source ISSN

0034-6764

Abstract

This paper advances a capabilities conception of the individual, and considers some of the problems involved in developing such a conception. It also makes claims about the nature of the capability space as a whole, frames personal development in terms of the idea of moving though the capability space, and argues that people are alike in being increasingly heterogeneous. A key problem for a capabilities conception of the individual is that some capabilities, such as belonging to social groups and having social identities, can undermine individuality. The paper discusses an example in which people can have social identities but can nonetheless be relatively independent when seen as self-organizing. Brief comments on one goal of social economic policy as being identity-promoting conclude the paper.

Comments

Accepted version. Review of Social Economy, Vol. 67, No. 4 (December 2009): 413-429. DOI. © 2009 Taylor & Francis (Routledge). Used with permission.

Recommended Citation

Davis, John B., "The Capabilities Conception of the Individual" (2009). Economics Faculty Research and Publications. 144.
https://epublications.marquette.edu/econ_fac/144