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Human Development &
Capability Association

Agency, Well-Being and Justice

Dr. Michael Drinkwater

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  • Position: Senior
  • Department: Poverty and Inequality
  • Affiliation: Global Insight
  • Country: United Kingdom
  • Website: https://www.g-insight.org/
  • Biographical info: Michael Drinkwater is an academic practitioner with three decades experience in a wide variety of roles in international development. In recent years much of his work has focused on a variety of complex evaluations, research and learning work around forms of programming addressing gender inequity and women’s empowerment, social change and inclusion, and resilient livelihoods and wellbeing. He has worked with a range of NGOs, foremostly with CARE USA but subsequently as a consultant with a diverse range of other organisations on issues of strategy, program quality, organisational development and accompaniment and reflective learning. He has expertise particularly in the use of qualitative, participatory methods that include the use of participatory numbers, forms of triangulation and the addressing of validity claims. His PhD on ‘The State and Agrarian Change in Zimbabwe’s Communal Areas’, from the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK, was published, and he has a range of journal articles, book chapters and other forms of report and article publications. His current research agenda has a focus on the role of women and youth in livelihood systems and addressing the inherent risks and vulnerabilities they face in different contexts. This agenda is also informed by the two great events of our time: the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, and the effects on further exacerbating inequalities and returning vulnerable populations to poverty. It's underlain by a focus on supporting the evolution of: a) The practical application of a ‘NewGen’ human security approach, incorporating a strong gender focus and which provides a frame for analysing the status of rights, freedoms, risks and abuses experienced, and existent opportunities, as well as the adequacy of incentive and social protection system; and b) A relational wellbeing framework too, since this throws relief on the social networks that people use to survive. Relational wellbeing can be used both as a frame for analytical purposes and to assess outcomes. It can also be related to the practical application of a capability approach, which Michael has also been engaged in doing in recent years. c) A present focus on work with the ILO on women migrants from Africa and Asia travelling to the Middle East and the range of protection, rights and livelihoods issues through the migration cycle, and how these can be framed using a human security lens.

Research interests:
Practical applications of the capability approach. Human Security, Relational Well-being, Resilient Livelihoods, Gender inequality, Women's migration

Thematic Groups:
Empowerment and Collective Capabilities Foundational Issues in the Capability Approach Gender and Sexuality Human Security Participatory Methods Sustainable Human Development

Regional Network:
European Network

About Michael Drinkwater

Michael Drinkwater is an academic practitioner with three decades experience in a wide variety of roles in international development. In recent years much of his work has focused on a variety of complex evaluations, research and learning work around forms of programming addressing gender inequity and women’s empowerment, social change and inclusion, and resilient livelihoods and wellbeing. He has worked with a range of NGOs, foremostly with CARE USA but subsequently as a consultant with a diverse range of other organisations on issues of strategy, program quality, organisational development and accompaniment and reflective learning. He has expertise particularly in the use of qualitative, participatory methods that include the use of participatory numbers, forms of triangulation and the addressing of validity claims. His PhD on ‘The State and Agrarian Change in Zimbabwe’s Communal Areas’, obtained from the University of East Anglia, Norwich, UK,has been published, and he has a range of journal articles, book chapters and other forms of report and article publications. His current research agenda has a focus on the role of women and youth in livelihood systems and addressing the inherent risks and vulnerabilities they face in different contexts. This agenda is also informed by the two great events of our time: the Covid-19 pandemic and climate change, and the effects on further exacerbating inequalities and returning vulnerable populations to poverty. It's underlain by a focus on supporting the evolution of: a) The practical application of a ‘NewGen’ human security approach, incorporating a strong gender focus and which provides a frame for analysing the status of rights, freedoms, risks and abuses experienced, and existent opportunities, as well as the adequacy of incentive and social protection system; and b) A relational wellbeing framework too, since this throws relief on the social networks that people use to survive. Relational wellbeing can be used both as a frame for analytical purposes and to assess outcomes. It can also be related to the practical application of a capability approach, which Michael has also been engaged in doing in recent years.

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