International contributors innovatively combine the hitherto unpaired perspectives of the capability approach and the tradition of critical social policy with empirical examples using case studies from South-Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe and North and South America. The result is a call for a new, feasible approach towards more socially balanced, democratic and innovative capability-promoting policy activities, models and programmes that reduce social and human suffering to promote an enhanced social quality of current societies around the world.
Hans-Uwe Otto is Senior Research Professor and Director of the Bielefeld Center for Education and Capability Research at Bielefeld University. In addition, he is Adjunct Professor at the School of Social Policy and Practice at the University of Pennsylvania, Philadelphia and Guest Professor at Shanghai University.
Professor Melanie Walker joined the University of the Free State in February 2012 as Senior Research Professor in Higher Education and Human Development. In 2013 she was appointed as NRF Chair in Higher Education and Human Development. She is an Al-rated NRF researcher.
Holger Ziegler is Professor for Social Work at the Faculty of Educational Science (specialising in professional theory, social justice research, and impact research) at Bielefeld University and Co-Director of the Bielefeld Center for Education and Capability Research.