Boosting capabilities: reflections on well-being in a post conflict society. Susan Hodgett, School of Sociology and Applied Social Studies,Ulster University and Peter Doran, School of Law, Queen’s University Belfast. 1

Four parts to this talk  The rationale behind measuring well-being in Northern Ireland and how inspiration was taken from the work of Amartya Sen and Martha Nussbaum.  Following Sen, the development of the Carnegie-School of Law Roundtable as part of a necessary process of public reasoning and deliberative democracy.  Local engagement sponsored by the Carnegie Trust UK and Queen’s University over  The role the Capability Approach may play in assisting processes of informed discussion in a post conflict context. 2

Work on Capabilities Approach and Policy  Hodgett, Susan L. (2008) Sen, Culture and Expanding Participatory Capabilities in Northern Ireland. Journal of Human Development, 9 (2). pp Sen, Culture and Expanding Participatory Capabilities in Northern Ireland  Hodgett, Susan and Clark, David (2011) Capabilities, Well-Being and Multiculturalism: A New Framework for Guiding Policy. International Journal of Canadian Studies, 44 (2). pp Capabilities, Well-Being and Multiculturalism: A New Framework for Guiding Policy. 3

Sen’s View of Development  Development conceptualised as “freedom to lead the kind of lives we have reason to value.”  Adds capabilities to econometrics.  Development as Freedom  Unfreedoms arise from poor processes and lack of opportunities.  Capabilities can be enhanced (reduced) by public policy.  Sen, A Development as Freedom. Oxford: Oxford University Press. 4

The Capability Approach  Capability approach (CA) to human well-being and development is concerned with ensuring that different people, cultures and societies can enjoy the capability (or freedom) to lead the kind of life that they have reason to value.  While income and material things might be necessary to facilitate a good form of life, the CA recognises that it does not automatically follow that there will be a strong link between income and access to resources and the ability to achieve valuable capabilities.  While utility in terms of happiness or desire fulfilment is a valuable achievement, the CA approach recognises the importance of other aspects of well-being which cannot be reduced to mental states. So matters of justice and gender are important. 5

The Capability Approach  Focus on what people are effectively able to do and to be, that is, on their capabilities.  A person’s actual achievements (functionings)  A person’s potential achievements (capability)  Obstacles to achievement of that potential.  Ingrid Robeyns (2003). Valuing Freedoms: Sen's Capability Approach and Poverty Reduction, see 6

Capabilities- wide and deep  Nussbaum (2000) Women and Human Development: the capabilities approach  Life (normal length)  Bodily Health (good health, reproduction, nourishment)  Bodily Integrity (free movement)  Senses, imagination, thought (imagine, think, reason, music, religion, art, meaning of life)  Emotions (love, grief, anger, human association)  Practical reason (conception of the good, to plan one’s life)  Affiliation (concern for others, social interaction, compassion, justice, friendship, self-respect)  Other species (concern for animals, plants and nature)  Play (laugh, play and recreation)  Control over one’s environment (political choice, participation, free speech, to hold property, employment on equal basis to others, freedom from unwarranted search and seizure) 7

A short film 8

The High-Level Roundtable – Measuring Wellbeing  An exercise in co-production  Roundtable Process  Consultation, Stakeholder Input, Focus Groups  ‘Triangulation’: The role of CUKT and the Scottish Government  Parallel Tracks: Transforming Governance, Transforming Citizens 9

Wellbeing and Post-Conflict Transformation  Wellbeing as capabilities responds to the fundamental challenges of a post-conflict society  Meaningful democracy is intrinsically valuable as a means and as an end in the pursuit of wellbeing  Capabilities as wellbeing: a means and an end  Building a wellbeing movement: emergent narratives are taking hold 10

Public Policy is a Two Way Relationship-  Government policy can enhance the capabilities of the public and  Allow the public to influence policy through effective use of their capabilities  A person’s overall freedom influences valuable outcomes to their life  Including priorities of local people and communities  Inglis (2005) suggests not just choice, but freedom to be… Independent, self-reliant, self-directed, self- confident, self-critical, self-controlled, unafraid and unselfish.  Culture and Sentiment in Development. (ACOA) 11

Conclusion: “The psychological mind set most predictive of wellbeing is a sense of control” (Harry Burns, CEA, Scotland) 12

 “We must rekindle our conviction that people and communities have a deep and instinctive desire to work for social and political participation and transformation…Indeed, these democratic capabilities are – in themselves – valuable for human life and wellbeing.” (CUKT, 2015, p.6) 13