Capability and Learning to Choose

Leßmann, Ortrud

doi:10.1007/s11217-009-9123-9

Cited by 22 publications

(16 citation statements)

References 14 publications

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“…In this agentic focus it shows continuity with the Deweyian liberal tradition (Leßmann 2009) of VET philosophy as well as UNESCO's broader approach to education as represented in the Faure and Delors Reports. Like those reports, it sees this process of learning as inherently lifelong and lifewide.…”

Section: A Strong Focus On Human Developmentmentioning

confidence: 77%

Skills for sustainable development: Transforming vocational education and training beyond 2015

McGrath

Powell

2016

International Journal of Educational Development

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There have been recent calls to transform VET and to transform development. This double call leads us to ask: how can skills development best support development that is sustainable for individuals, communities and the planet, whilst promoting social justice and poverty reduction? In considering this question we critique the idea of green skills for the green economy as being inadequate for achieving a transformed and transformative VET that shifts the target from economic growth to the well-being of individuals, and that enables vocational education to play a role in challenging and transforming society and work. Rather, we argue that we must see human development and sustainable development as inseparable, and plan and evaluate VET for its contribution to these. Such an approach must be grounded in a view of work, and hence skills for work, that is decent, life-enhancing, solidaristic, environmentally-sensitive and intergenerationally-aware. It must confront the reality that much current VET is complicit in preparing people for work that lacks some or all of these characteristics. It must be concerned with poverty, inequality and injustice and contribute to their eradication. It must be supportive of individuals' agency, whilst also reflecting a careful reading of the structures that too often constrain them. In doing all this it must minimise the costs and risks of any transformation for the poor and seek to lock them into better individual and collective lives, not out of them. Finally, it must transform skills, work and the world in ways that are truly sustainable of the people of today but also those who are to inhabit the earth tomorrow.

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Section: A Strong Focus On Human Developmentmentioning

confidence: 77%

Skills for sustainable development: Transforming vocational education and training beyond 2015

McGrath

Powell

2016

International Journal of Educational Development

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“…Thus combined capabilities include but are not confined to a person's internal capabilities, those beings and doings that have been ‘trained or developed’ ( ibid. p. 21) through education and which equip the person ‘to choose and act well’ (Leßmann, , p. 451). In concrete terms, internal capabilities can be considered as dynamic ‘traits of character […] intellect and body’ (Leßmann, , p. 451 citing Nussbaum ), such as ‘political skill’, ‘self‐confidence’, ‘skills of perception and movement’ (Nussbaum , p. 21).…”

Section: Combined and Internal Capabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…p. 21) through education and which equip the person ‘to choose and act well’ (Leßmann, , p. 451). In concrete terms, internal capabilities can be considered as dynamic ‘traits of character […] intellect and body’ (Leßmann, , p. 451 citing Nussbaum ), such as ‘political skill’, ‘self‐confidence’, ‘skills of perception and movement’ (Nussbaum , p. 21). For academic researchers, examples of internal capabilities include skills in reasoning using a particular theoretical framework, or in deducing general observations from a suitably sampled population, as well as being aware of the requirements of academic journals, or confident in carrying out fieldwork and analysis.…”

Section: Combined and Internal Capabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…10. In 1998, Nussbaum introduced the concept as 'external capability' but later changed it to 'combined capability' (Leßmann 2009). been 'trained or developed' (ibid. p. 21) through education and which equip the person 'to choose and act well' (Leßmann, 2009, p. 451).…”

Section: Combined and Internal Capabilitiesmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…In 1998, Nussbaum introduced the concept as ‘external capability’ but later changed it to ‘combined capability’ (Leßmann ).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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The Capabilities of Academics and Academic Poverty

Mooken

Sugden

2014

Kyklos

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Summary This paper presents a novel analysis about the capabilities of academic researchers and academic poverty. Adopting the capability approach, which Amartya Sen developed to address concerns such as poverty, inequality and development, we shift the focus of analysis and discussion around evaluating academic research and academics in the social sciences from measures of so‐called ‘quality’, ‘impact’ or ‘excellence’ to the capabilities of academics. For us, the conceptualization and evaluation of academic research is a question about what academics have reasons to value, and about their ability to achieve valuable beings and doings. It is also about determining what might constitute academic poverty, and what academics are required to do in order to avoid that poverty. Relating our analysis to debates around universities, in particular about quasi‐market pressures, we identify the possibility of basic capabilities in academic research, namely: the capabilities that are necessary to fulfill basic academic needs. Our proposition is that there is academic poverty when an academic researcher is not capable of fulfilling basic academic needs, such as: adhering to standards of coherence, robustness and rigour; searching for and disseminating the spirit of the truth. Moreover, if the academic has the capabilities to fulfill those basic academic needs and yet chooses not to do so, she renders herself in a state akin to academic poverty.

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