Civic Capabilities (85)

The path to social and economic empowerment can be blocked due to a variety of circumstances including illiteracy, a lack of information, limited access to health care, few durable assets, political marginalization, etc. From the grassroots to the international sphere, peoples are seeking ways to encourage and develop capability of individuals and communities to actively engage in creating the life they desire to live through promoting access to health, higher literacy, and the ability to collectively engage in public political action. Direct interaction with local, as well as national-level officials and engagement in cooperative and adversarial politics can bring about accountability and increased governmental responsiveness. Affiliation with regional and transnational advocacy groups can assist accessing leverage for marginalized groups. Through engagement and a direction towards freedoms and capabilities peoples can prioritize their political battles that pressure government to pursue policies that actually equate to results in education, health and economic opportunity for those who lack these building blocks.

Text: Justin Smith