How can unjust societies be overcome with a better distribution of opportunities to flourish? How can human development be revitalised in countries where social welfare is being questioned? In short, how can human development be fostered in practice? These are some of the important questions asked in this volume through analysis of existing policies and conceptualisations of coherent and systematic strategies for human development policies at the local, national and international level. International contributors innovatively combine the hitherto unpaired perspectives of the capability approach and the tradition of critical social policy with empirical examples using case studies from South-Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America. The result is a call for a new, feasible approach towards more socially balanced, democratic and innovative capability-promoting policy activities, models and programmes that reduce social and human suffering to promote an enhanced social quality of current societies around the world.

Hans-Uwe Otto is Senior Research Professor and Director of the Bielefeld Center for Education and Capability Research at Bielefeld University. In addition, he is Adjunct Professor at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Guest Professor at Shanghai University.

Professor Melanie Walker joined the University of the Free State in February 2012 as Senior Research Professor in Higher Education and Human Development. In 2013 she was appointed as NRF Chair in Higher Education and Human Development. She is an Al-rated NRF researcher.

Holger Ziegler is Professor for Social Work at the Faculty of Educational Science (specialising in professional theory, social justice research, and impact research) at Bielefeld University and Co-Director of the Bielefeld Center for Education and Capability Research.

Introduction: Human development, capabilities and the ethics of policy ~ Hans-Uwe Otto, Melanie Walker and Holger Ziegler

Part 1: Conceptual challenges

What political liberalism and the welfare state left behind: chance and gratitude ~ Reiko Gotoh

The capability approach, agency and sustainable development ~ Elise Klein and Paola Ballon

Public policy: from welfare to empowerment of women in India ~ Indira Mahendravada

The contribution to human development of social policies in the Central American integration system ~ Guillermo Bornemann-Martínez, Pedro Caldentey and Emilio J. Morales-Fernándes

Part 2: Modalities of structure and civil society

A framework for urban integration: the case of Buenos Aires ~ Séverine Deneulin, Eduardo Lépore, Ann Mitchell and Ana Lourdes Suárez

Culture, equity and social wellbeing in New York City ~ Mark J. Stern and Susan C. Seifert

The third sector and capability-promoting policies ~ Giuseppe Acconcia, Enrica Chiappero-Martinetti and Paolo R. Graziano

Informal workers and human development in South Africa ~ Ina Conradie

Part 3: Children, youth and education;

The capability approach: what can it offer child protection policy and practice in England? ~ Brid Featherstone and Anna Gupta

The capability approach and a child standpoint ~ Sharon Bessell

Capabilities and the challenge to inclusive schooling ~ Franziska Felder

Early childhood educational curricula: implications of the capability approach ~ Antoanneta Potsi

Education for all? Providing capabilities for young people with special needs ~ Christian Christrup Kjeldsen

The instrumental values of education in the Southern Cone ~ Xavier Rambla

Conclusion: What is to be done about capability-promoting policies? ~ Hans-Uwe Otto, Melanie Walker and Holger Ziegler