Advancing human development: Values, groups, power and conflict

The question of values is central to the human development and capability approach. Yet, the capability literature says little about where values come from, how they are shaped and change. Exploring the dynamics of value formation and change is critical to advancing human development, for different sets of values lead to different sets of policies, and hence different capability outcomes. The paper argues that the human development and capability approach needs to pay greater attention to the different groups which construct the value frameworks from which people derive their values. This requires a more critical analysis of the power dynamics between groups. The paper proposes some analytical tools to examine the dynamics of value formation and its influence on policy. It concludes by discussing some ways in which the kinds of values which are necessary for advancing human development can be nurtured.