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The Contributions of Professor Amartya Sen in the Field of Human Rights

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  • Polly Vizard

Abstract

This paper analyses the work of the Nobel Prize winning economist Professor Amartya Sen from the perspective of human rights. It assesses the ways in which Sen's research agenda has deepened and expanded human rights discourse in the disciplines of ethics and economics, and examines how his work has promoted cross-fertilisation and integration on this subject across traditional disciplinary divides. The paper suggests that Sen's development of a 'scholarly bridge' between human rights and economics is an important and innovative contribution that has methodological as well as substantive importance and that provides a prototype and stimuli for future research. It also establishes that the idea of fundamental freedoms and human rights is itself an important gateway into understanding the nature, scope and significance of Sen's research. The paper concludes with a brief assessment of the challenges to be addressed in taking Sen's contributions in the field of human rights forward.

Suggested Citation

  • Polly Vizard, 2005. "The Contributions of Professor Amartya Sen in the Field of Human Rights," CASE Papers 091, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    • Handle: RePEc:cep:sticas:091
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    File URL: https://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/dps/case/cp/CASEpaper91.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Pattanaik, Prasanta K & Suzumura, Kotaro, 1996. "Individual Rights and Social Evaluation: A Conceptual Framework," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 48(2), pages 194-212, April.
    2. Sen, Amartya, 2001. "Development as Freedom," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780192893307, Decembrie.
    3. Timothy Besley & Robin Burgess, 2002. "The Political Economy of Government Responsiveness: Theory and Evidence from India," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, Oxford University Press, vol. 117(4), pages 1415-1451.
    4. Maurice Salles, 2016. "Social choice," Chapters, in: Gilbert Faccarello & Heinz D. Kurz (ed.), Handbook on the History of Economic Analysis Volume III, chapter 36, pages 518-537, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    5. Dreze, Jean & Sen, Amartya, 2002. "India: Development and Participation," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, edition 2, number 9780199257492, Decembrie.
    6. Sen, Amartya, 1973. "On Economic Inequality," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198281931, Decembrie.
    7. Martha Nussbaum, 2004. "Beyond the social contract: capabilities and global justice. an Olaf Palme lecture, delivered in Oxford on 19 June 2003," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(1), pages 3-18.
    8. Sen, Amartya, 1993. "Markets and Freedoms: Achievements and Limitations of the Market Mechanism in Promoting Individual Freedoms," Oxford Economic Papers, Oxford University Press, vol. 45(4), pages 519-541, October.
    9. Mas-Colell, Andreu & Whinston, Michael D. & Green, Jerry R., 1995. "Microeconomic Theory," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780195102680, Decembrie.
    10. Polly Vizard, 2000. "Antecedents of the Idea of Human Rights: A Survey of Perspectives," Human Development Occasional Papers (1992-2007) HDOCPA-2000-25, Human Development Report Office (HDRO), United Nations Development Programme (UNDP).
    11. Siddiqur Rahman Osmani, 2000. "Human Rights to Food, Health, and Education," Journal of Human Development and Capabilities, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 1(2), pages 273-298.
    12. Sen, Amartya, 1997. "On Economic Inequality," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198292975, Decembrie.
    13. Sen, Amartya, 1991. "Welfare, preference and freedom," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1-2), pages 15-29, October.
    14. Meghnad Desai, 2001. "Amartya Sen's Contribution to Development Economics," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 29(3), pages 213-223.
    15. Basu, K. & Pattanaik, P. K. & Suzumura, K. (ed.), 1995. "Choice, Welfare, and Development: A Festschrift for Amartya K. Sen," OUP Catalogue, Oxford University Press, number 9780198287896, Decembrie.
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    Cited by:

    1. Tania Burchardt, 2006. "Foundations for measuring equality: A discussion paper for the Equalities Review," CASE Papers case111, Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion, LSE.
    2. Mejía Cubillos, Javier, 2012. "Ética y Justicia. Reflexiones a partir de The Idea of Justice de Amartya Sen [Ethics and justice. Reflections on The Idea of ​​Justice by Amartya Sen]," MPRA Paper 37458, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Mehta, Lyla, 2014. "Water and Human Development," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 59(C), pages 59-69.
    4. Burchardt, Tania, 2006. "Foundations for measuring equality: a discussion paper for the equalities review," LSE Research Online Documents on Economics 6236, London School of Economics and Political Science, LSE Library.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Amartya Sen; human rights; poverty; freedom; obligation; capability approach; meta-rights; entitlements; opportunity freedom; liberty-rights;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • A12 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Other Disciplines
    • A13 - General Economics and Teaching - - General Economics - - - Relation of Economics to Social Values
    • B31 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought: Individuals - - - Individuals
    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • I39 - Health, Education, and Welfare - - Welfare, Well-Being, and Poverty - - - Other
    • K39 - Law and Economics - - Other Substantive Areas of Law - - - Other

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