Women and Human Development: The Capabilities Approach

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 of public policy. HB ISBN (2000): 0-521-66086-6

Author: Martha C. Nussbaum
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Published: 03/13/2000
Pages: 336
Binding Type: Hardcover
Weight: 1.32lbs
Size: 9.25h x 6.31w x 1.22d
ISBN: 9780521660860

Review Citation(s):
Kirkus Reviews 01/15/2000 pg. 105
Booklist 04/15/2000 pg. 1506
New York Times 10/15/2000 pg. 32
Choice 09/01/2000 pg. 173