Desarrollo como libertad: invitación a la interdisciplinariedad

The objective of the paper is to invite to an interdisciplinary dialogue. The first part presents a summary of the “capabilities approach†that stresses the expansion of freedom as the goal. In this perspective, underdevelopment means the existence of very few alternative ways of life for the people. Poverty means deprivation of opportunities to lead a life. Development has to be evaluated in terms of the capability of persons to function in valuable ways that are reasonably argued. In the second part we present briefly three examples of interdisciplinary dialogue. The first, with the economy around the costs and benefits of development in terms of freedom, and about how free one can be in and with respect to the economy. The second suggests a critical view of the freedom to live under liberal constitutions. The third, introduces a reflection on the importance of freedom from a Christian perspective.