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

本研究项目的目的是从经验上审查德国和欧洲联盟的贫困状况。为此，建议使用阿尔基雷-福斯特方法和能力方法（CA）来制定多维贫困指数，后者作为规范和概念框架。因此，贫穷被视为能力的剥夺，因而是一种构成性的多层面现象。该研究项目将利用欧洲联盟收入和生活条件统计和德国社会经济小组。 该项目可分为三个阶段。在第一阶段，必须选择相关的层面和适当的指标。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本质上的兴趣，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。因此，贫困被理解为能力的剥夺。因此，各项指标必须既反映贫穷作为能力剥夺的概念要求，又反映这些指标所要反映的基本功能。利用这一设置，可以应用Alkire-Foster方法，首先确定多层面的穷人，然后提供一个社会中贫困的综合衡量标准。 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Alkire-Foster措施的可分解性来解决以下问题：哪些方面和剥夺是贫困的关键因素？能否区分不同类型的贫困？贫困是否因特定的亚人群而异，如老年人或单亲父母？此外，还研究了贫困的跨期方面，如贫困的进入和退出，以及长期贫困。 在第三阶段，将对所选方法进行改进。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，完全缺失的维度和未充分捕获的维度都要被识别。此外，还探讨了如何将收入纳入多维贫困计量。根据竞争性分析，收入仅具有工具相关性，这意味着没有直接的理由将收入本身视为一个层面。然而，收入可以提供关于指数中尚未包括的贫穷和匮乏的根本原因的更多信息。为了改进基于Alkire-Foster测量的结论，探索了使用自助法计算标准误。

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.