Authors: Cinzia Ciardi, Alessandro Balestrino
Abstract
The paper investigates the extent to which the role of social ties and social networks matters for a fundamental issue within Sen’s human capability approach, namely the question of how and why different individuals have different abilities to translate resources into functionings. Building on the contributions of economic sociologists such as Granovetter and Burt, we argue that the presence of social contact networks (or lack thereof) could be key to determine such differences in the level to which functionings are achieved. We also briefly discuss the implication of our analysis for economic policy.
Keywords: capacità, legami sociali, reti sociali
DOI: http://doi.org/10.13131/unipi/1724-451x/73qf-hm19
Notes on contibutors
Cinzia Ciardi è dipendente dell’Azienda USL Toscana centro e professoressa a contratto di Sociologia presso l’Università di Firenze.
Alessandro Balestrino è professore ordinario di Scienza delle Finanze presso l’Università di Pisa.