Multidimensional Poverty Measurement using the Capability Approach in Germany and the Euro-pean Union

本研究项目的目的是对德国和欧洲联盟的贫困状况进行实证研究。为此目的，建议使用阿尔凯尔-福斯特方法和能力方法(能力方法)编制一个多维贫困指数，后者作为规范和概念框架。因此，贫穷被认为是能力剥夺，因而是一种结构性的多维现象。该研究项目将利用欧洲联盟收入和生活条件统计(EU-SILC)和德国社会经济小组(SOEP)。该项目可分为三个阶段。在第一阶段，必须选择相关的维度和相应的指标。这个练习的关键是，从CA的角度来看，生活的各个领域并不是内在的兴趣，而是所谓的功能，即个人有理由重视的行为和存在。一个人的能力是一个人实际上可以选择的所有功能的集合。那么，贫穷就被理解为能力剥夺。因此，至关重要的是，指标既要反映贫穷作为能力剥夺的概念要求，也要反映它们要实现的基本功能。在此基础上，可以应用阿尔基尔-福斯特方法，首先确定多方面的贫困人口，然后为一个社会中的贫困人口提供综合措施。在第二阶段，对贫困进行了实证分析。除了计算简单的发生率和强度外，还将特别利用阿尔基尔-福斯特措施的可分解性来解决以下问题：哪些维度和匮乏是贫困的关键因素？有可能区分不同类型的贫困吗？贫困是否会因特定的人群而变化，例如老年人或单亲父母？此外，还研究了贫困的跨期方面，如进入和退出，但也包括长期贫困。在第三阶段，选定的方法有待改进。另一方面，将改进指标的构建，以更好地反映贫困是能力剥夺的概念。另一方面，完全缺失和未充分捕捉到的维度都需要识别。此外，还研究了如何将收入纳入多维贫困衡量标准。根据CA的说法，收入只具有工具相关性，这意味着没有直接的理由将收入本身视为一个维度。然而，收入可能提供关于贫穷和匮乏的根本原因的更多信息，这些原因尚未列入指数。为了改进基于Alkire-Foster度量的结论，探索了使用Bootstrap方法来计算标准误差。

The objective of the present research project is to empirically examine poverty in Germany and the European Union. For this purpose a multidimensional poverty index is suggested using both the Alkire-Foster method and the Capability Approach (CA), with the latter serving as normative and conceptual framework. Therefore, poverty is conceived as capability deprivation and thus as a constitutive multidimensional phenomenon. The research project will make use of the European Union Statistics in Income and Living Conditions (EU-SILC) and the German Socio-Economic-Panel (SOEP). Three stages of the project can be distinguished. In stage one the relevant dimensions and ad-equate indicators have to be selected. Key for this exercise is, that from a CA perspective various domains of life are not as such of intrinsic interest, but instead the so-called functionings, i.e. the doings and beings individuals have reason to value. A person's capability is the set of all function-ings an individual actually can choose. Poverty then is understood as capability deprivation. Thus it is crucial that indicators reflect both the conceptual demands of poverty as capability deprivation and the underlying functionings they are meant to capture. Drawing upon this set up, Alkire-Foster-methods can be applied, to first identify the multidimensional poor and then to provide aggregate measures for the poverty in a society. In stage two poverty is empirically analysed. Beyond calculating the simple incidence and inten-sity, particular use will be made of the Alkire-Foster measures' decomposability to address the fol-lowing questions: Which dimensions and deprivations are the key contributors to poverty? Is it possible to distinguish between different types of poverty? Does poverty vary with specific subpop-ulations, such as elderly or single parents? Moreover, intertemporal aspects of poverty are studied, such as entrances and exits, but also chronic poverty. In stage three the chosen methods are to be improved. On the hand, improvements for the con-struction of indicators will be made, to better reflect the notion of poverty as capability deprivation. On the other hand, both completely missing and insufficiently captured dimensions are to be identi-fied. Moreover, it is examined how to incorporate income into multidimensional poverty measure-ment. According the CA, income is of instrumental relevance only, implying that there is no straightforward reason to consider income as a dimension on its own. However, income may pro-vide additional information on both underlying reasons for poverty and deprivations not yet included in the index. To improve conclusions based on Alkire-Foster measures, the use of bootstrap methods for calculating the standard errors is explored.