Uppeldi og menntun - 01.07.2015, Page 102

UPPELDI OG MENNTUN/ICELANDIC JOURNAL OF EDUCATION 24(2) 2015102
SOCIAL ( IN )EQUALITY: COLLABORATIVE REFLECTION
In this article we want to present a joint voice, which is a product of our collaboration.
Although English is not our first language, both of us are skilled enough to read and
write English.1
THE CAPABILITY APPROACH
Sen (1992) rejects the idea that equality can be achieved through equal access to
resources and primary goods, since different people can achieve different levels of
well-being with the same amount of goods. Instead of focusing on the equalization
of resources Sen argues that equality should be defined in terms of individual capa-
bilities to achieve well-being. Sen’s (1992) approach is relational and has three dimen-
sions: commodities, environment and personal characteristics, which influence the
capabilities of a person to function; that is, the freedom to choose functionings. Fun-
damental to Sen’s approach is the freedom to choose among valuable functionings or
‘beings and doings’ which could include education and nourishment, and would lead
to a person’s well-being. Capabilities are the opportunities that the person chooses
to achieve these functionings. The figure is a chart outlining the capability approach.
Environment
(physical, social, econo-
mic, cultural, political)
Environment
(physical, social, econo-
mic, cultural, political)
Functionings
(actually achieved)
Commodities
(e.g. wheelchair)
Characteristics
Personal
characteristics
(e.g. impairment)
Choices
Figure. The capability approach. The chart was drawn by Mitra (2006)
Sen (1992, 2000) has not used the capability approach to define disability but indicates
impairments as an example of personal characteristics that should be taken into ac-
count when poverty and personal well-being is assessed. Mitra (2006) has attempted
to use Sen’s capability approach to analyze disability and does so at two levels; as a
deprivation of capabilities, on the one hand, and as a deprivation of functionings, on
the other. Deprivation of capabilities results from the interaction between impairment
(personal characteristics) and the environment, but disability occurs when a person
is deprived of capabilities or practical opportunities as a result of an impairment. For