It is our pleasure to invite you to the upcoming lecture at Filosofiska Föreningen. Professor Ingrid Robeyns from Utrecht University will deliver a talk called "What difference does the capability approach make for the design of social institutions?"
Abstract
The capability approach is a normative framework that concerns itself with public values such as well-being, social justice, and freedom. But it could also be used to rethink other values, such as efficiency and sustainability. The capability approach has roots in various canonical philosophers, but has in its present formulation been proposed by Amartya Sen, and subsequently been further developed as a theory of justice by Martha Nussbaum. It is now used by scholars across many disciplines, yet philosophers keep on making central contributions to its further development.
In this talk, I will ask how the capability approach would suggest we deal with public policies and the design of the social institutions in our societies. I will work with a few examples of social institutions and policies, such as parental leave policies, unemployment regulations, and the structure and aims of higher education (the university), that illustrate how the capability approach will lead to different outcomes then currently more widely used frameworks for policy guidance.
About Professor Robeyns
Professor Robeyns is an internationally renowned expert on the topic of capability theories and has published widely on the practical applications and consequences of such theories.
Pre Lecture seminar
For those interested, Sebastian Östlund, Umeå University, will give a short introductory seminar on capability approaches. The pre-lecture seminar will be held the same day from 16.15 to 17.00 in in HD 108. We encourage registration for the seminar via this link: http://bit.ly/PreLectureSeminar
