1 Operationalizing Sen’s Capability Approach Flavio Comim † Paper prepared for the Conference Justice and Poverty: examining Sen’s Capability Approach, Cambridge 5-7 June 2001. Comments and suggestions are most welcome Introduction Professor Amartya Sen (1993: 30) once observed that “Capability is not an awfully attractive word”. One wonders what might be said of the word “Operationalizing” and of “Operationalizing Capabilities”? Operationalizing is definitely an awfully unattractive word that has no clear or unambiguous meaning. It can be used in a very broad sense, meaning “something that can be put into practice or used” or something narrowly defined, meaning “quantification” restricted to a particular level of analysis. There are many different ways through which any theory can be used or applied and it does not seem correct to limit the ‘processes of putting these theories into operation’ to one or two particular modes. Thus, by ‘operationalizing’ we mean the diverse sequence of transforming a theory into an object of practical value. To simplify matters, it could be suggested that operationalization consists of four sequences/alternatives: i) theoretical inclusion: elaboration of theoretical concepts with potential empirical significance; ii) measurement: transformation of these theoretical concepts into empirical variables; iii) application: use of these variables in qualitative empirical analysis; iv) quantification: use of these variables in quantitative empirical analysis. This should not be understood as a unidirectional structure because empirical feedbacks and the choice of techniques do influence theoretical paths and the final outcome is far from being clear-cut, as suggested above. In any case, it seems that it is important to note that operationalizing a theory should not be restricted to quantifying it and that quantification in itself should be seen in a wider framework of ‘using’ the theory. While researchers working from a Utilitarian perspective appear to take for granted the nature of the examined objects and to reduce operationalization to its last stage (quantification), the Capability Approach –on the other hand- seems to require the process of operationalization in its entirety: from the theoretical inclusion (which assumes an investigation of the context and nature of object) to its quantification –when applicable. † Von Hügel Institute, St Edmund's College, University of Cambridge. Not for citation without permission from the author (email fvc1001@cam.ac.uk).