Women culture and development : a study of human capabilities This volume which grows out of The Quality of Life (eds. Martha Nussbaum and Amartya Sen 1993) combines philosophical inquiry with economic concerns regarding womens equality in the developing world. Adopting Amartya Sens 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 womens development with special attention paid to cultural sensitivity but without compromising the clarity of rational judgement in cases where womens 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 womens economic development.