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Women and Human Development The Capabilities Approach

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Proposing a new kind of feminism that is genuinely international, Martha Nussbaum argues for an ethical underpinning to all thought about development planning and public policy, and dramatically moves beyond the abstractions of economists and philosophers to embed thought about justice in the concrete reality of the struggles of poor women. In this book, Nussbaum argues that international political and economic thought must be sensitive to gender difference as a problem of justice, and that feminist thought must begin to focus on the problems of women in the third world. Taking as her point of departure the predicament of poor women in India, she shows how philosophy should undergird basic constitutional principles that should be respected and implemented by all governments, and used as a comparative measure of quality of life across nations. Nussbaum concludes by calling for a new international focus to feminism, and shows through concrete detail how philosophical arguments about justice really do connect with the practical concerns. In this major book Martha Nussbaum, one of the most innovative and influential. philosophical voices of our time, proposes a new kind of feminism that is genuinely international, argues for an ethical underpinning to all thought about development planning and public policy, and dramatically moves beyond the abstractions of economists and philosophers to embed thought about justice in the concrete reality of the struggles of poor women. In much of the world today women are less well nourished than men, less healthy, and more vulnerable to physical violence and sexual abuse. Martha Nussbaum argues that international political and economic thought must be sensitive to gender difference as a problem of justice, and that feminist thought must begin to focus on the problems of women in the third world. Taking as her point of departure the predicament of poor women in India, she shows how philosophy should undergird basic constitutional principles that should be respected and implemented by all governments, and used as a comparative measure of quality of life across nations. The account is based on the idea of human capabilities: what people are actually capable of doing or becoming in the real world. This approach is then defended against the charge that all universals are bound to be insensitive to regional and cultural specificity. Martha Nussbaum also argues that it is an approach superior to the preference-based approaches prevalent in contemporary economics. Two final chapters consider the particular problems that arise when sex equality clashes with the claims of religion or family. This is a vividly written book that is rich in narrative examples. It offers a radically fresh account of how we should understand the ‘‘quality of life’’ in a nation, and how we should think about the basic minimum that all governments should provide for their citizens. Moreover, it calls for a new international focus to feminism, and shows through concrete detail how philosophical arguments about justice really do connect with the practical concerns of public policy.

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Availability

KP.II-00021

Kp.Ii MAR w

My Library (Rak Kayu)

Available

Detail Information

Series Title

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Call Number

KP.II NUS w

Publisher

New York : Cambrige University Press., 2000

Collation

xxi, 312 Hal. ; 23 cm

Language

English

ISBN/ISSN

978-0-521-00385-8

Classification

KP.II

Content Type

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Media Type

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Carrier Type

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Edition

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Subject(s)

Feminism and International
Women and Human Development
the capabilities approach in economics

Specific Detail Info

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Statement of Responsibility

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