Identity, Capabilities, and Changing Economics

Reviews / Votes

'This book significantly narrows the gap in Amartya Sen's capability approach between what agency is and what agency does. Or the gap between who people are and what people choose. It is therefore not only an important elaboration of agency for the capability approach, but, at the same time, the book invites social economists to engage with the notion of capabilities. It is therefore one of those rare books that genuinely try to engage with different economic approaches with the purpose of refining both.' Irene van Staveren, Professor of Pluralist Development Economics at Erasmus University Rotterdam 'Economics today is still dominated by utility-maximizing 'economic man.' Despite drawing attention to his errors, the new behavioral economics keeps utility maximization as a baseline concept. John Davis calls for a fundamentally different approach. It has long been recognized that utility maximization cannot deal with major issues such as the construction of individual identity. Davis develops this critique and points to a constructive alternative. This is a major treatise, addressing the need to build economics on different foundations.' Geoffrey M. Hodgson, Emeritus Professor in Management at Loughborough University London 'Recommended.' M. H. Lesser, CHOICE 'Davis has filled an essential gap in the literature ... you should have this book on your shelf.' Valentina Erasmo, History of Economic Thought and Policy