This volume, which grows out of The Quality of Life (eds. Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen, 1993), combines philosophical inquiry with economic concerns regarding women's equality in the developing world. Adopting Amartya Sen's capability framework, international contributors tackle issues of cultural relativism vs. cultural imperialism on the one hand, and questions of local traditions vs. universalist critical judgement on the other. The chief aim of this work is to critically explore the relationship between culture and justice as pertinent to women's development, with special attention paid to cultural sensitivity but without compromising the clarity of rational judgement in cases where women's capabilities are at stake. Building upon the practical and philosophical implications of the lived experience of women from a variety of cultures, the authors theorize the pragmatics of economic development beyond utility towards a vision of gender equality. This book is a must‐read for anyone interested in the ethics of women's economic development.

First published in 1981, this book contains a series of sociological essays translated from Italian into English. It shows how Italian sociology offers a highly original blend of economic and sociological analyses in addressing Italy's main social problems and how its themes and methods could profitably be integrated into other sociological traditions. The anthology uses Italy as an illustration in examining social and sociological themes of crucial concern to the international social scientific community. In a substantial introduction Diana Pinto argues that Italy can be seen as a 'metaphor' for wider international debates about development and modernisation.