How is the Capability Approach Applied to Assess Well-being Impacts? A Systematic Review

Livia Bartolomei, Genowefa Blundo-Canto and Pasquale De Muro

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, 2024, vol. 25, issue 3, 367-399

Abstract: A shift in how to measure well-being using more appropriate and coherent indicators has been long called for. Nonetheless, monetary indicators, such as income and GDP, or utilitarian frameworks, remain the most common approaches used. The capability approach (CA) has been advocated as an alternative framework to measure well-being. This paper aims to capture the state-of-the-art of how the CA has been applied to assess or characterise the well-being impacts of project-based development interventions in Global South countries. The ultimate goal is to discuss whether the CA provides more varied and complex indicators of well-being and therefore more comprehensive impact assessments. The results highlight that qualitative and participatory approaches are frequently applied methods to assess individual capabilities, most often related to educational, economic, social and empowerment dimensions. Capabilities linked to environmental and recreational activities, as well as collective capabilities, were significantly overlooked. Quantitative approaches to impact evaluation were less frequently used. This paper provides a first systematic review on the use of the CA to assess well-being impacts. Future applications of the CA could focus on better integration of qualitative and quantitative approaches for robust impact assessments and targeting understudied capabilities.

Date: 2024
References: Add references at CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
http://hdl.handle.net/10.1080/19452829.2024.2369502 (text/html)
Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:taf:jhudca:v:25:y:2024:i:3:p:367-399

Ordering information: This journal article can be ordered from
http://www.tandfonline.com/pricing/journal/CJHD20

DOI: 10.1080/19452829.2024.2369502

Access Statistics for this article

Journal of Human Development and Capabilities is currently edited by Kathryn Rosenblum

More articles in Journal of Human Development and Capabilities from Taylor & Francis Journals
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Chris Longhurst ().