Preface

Professor Martha C. Nussbaum is one of the most distinguished and influential philosophers of our times, a towering figure in philosophy and the social sciences. Her work has inspired a generation of philosophers, economists, sociologists, educators, anthropologists, psychologists, social scientists, policy-makers, planners and development practitioners to reflect upon issues of justice, gender, human rights, political liberalism, religion, education, disability, among many others. This book delves into key elements of her work from a critical perspective and explores future challenges for the capabilities approach. The origin of this book lies in a conference entitled 'Promoting Women's Capabilities: examining Nussbaum's Capabilities Approach', convened by the Von Hügel Institute of St Edmund's College, Cambridge in September 2002. The conference brought interdisciplinary scholars from around the world to discuss the work of Professor Nussbaum and it closed with a riveting debate between Professor Nussbaum and Professor Sen on their work on capabilities. In 2001 a conference at St Edmund's College had examined the work of Professor Amartya Sen. These two conferences were followed by the Pavia Conferences in 2003 and 2004 and the founding of the Human Development and Capability Association (HDCA). Not enough could be said of the inspirational leadership of the late Father Frank Carey, then Director of the Von Hügel Institute, in the realization of the Cambridge Conferences. His compassion and love for humanity and his faith in the fight against injustices were defining of these two special moments for capabilities scholars.