Abigail McKnight
explains why we are currently unable to give a meaningful answer to this
question and how she believes the new Multidimensional
Inequality Framework will allow us to answer this question in the future.
How divided are
we? It is a simple enough question but it
is one that we find difficult to answer.
Estimates of inequality are available for various outcomes. For example, estimates of inequality in
income, earnings, wealth, health, life expectancy and education. But these measures only provide a partial
picture of inequality. Attempts have
been made to estimate holistic measures of well-being such as measures based on
estimates of happiness. However, from a
quality of life perspective, existing approaches are problematic.
This is because,
on the one hand, measures based on economic outcomes fail to take into account
differences in need between individuals and households, or differences in their
ability to convert these resources into valuable things they can do or be (such
as going on holiday, being well-nourished, feeling physically secure or having
friends). On the other hand, subjective
outcomes such as happiness are shaped by people’s expectations of life and
these expectations are influenced by social and cultural norms and by their
upbringing.
The
Multidimensional Inequality Framework (MIF), developed through a collaboration
between academics and practitioners, is designed to fill this gap. It is theoretically underpinned by Amartya
Sen’s capability approach to conceptualising and assessing well-being. This approach leads us to consider the
important dimensions that shape individuals’ capability to lead a life they
have reason to value and one that they would choose for themselves, assuming that
they have the freedoms necessary to do so.
The MIF, along
with accompanying toolkits, provide all the resources necessary to measure,
analyse and take action on multidimensional inequality. The resources are free to use and the MIF can
be easily adapted to suit different countries and parts of the world. This means that although we are not able to
answer the opening question today, we hope that in the not too distant future
we will be able to provide a systematic response with the help of users of the MIF
around the world. Armed with this
information we will be better equipped to improve the quality of people’s lives
and reduce the differences between them.
The Multidimensional Inequality Framework was developed as part of a collaboration between academics at the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion (CASE) at the LSE and the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS), and practitioners at Oxfam. The initial project was funded through grant from the Atlantic Fellows for Social and Economic Equity (AFSEE) programme at the LSE’s International Inequalities Institute and further funding for the development of the CASE website was provided by the LSE’s Knowledge Exchange and Impact Fund. The MIF and toolkit are free to access from the LSE website http://sticerd.lse.ac.uk/inequality/