This introductory bibliography lists briefings, books and articles that provide a good overview of and introduction to the human development and capability approach.

HDCA introductory briefings

• Capability & Functionings: Definition & Justification (2005)
• Capability & Democracy (2006)
• Capability & Education (2007)
• CA & Heterodox Economics (2005)
• Economic Growth & HD (2006)
• HD, CA & Human Rights (2006)
• Participatory Methods & the CA (2006)

Books

• Frances Stewart, Gustav Ranis and Emma Samman (2018), Advancing Human Development: Theory and Practice, Oxford University Press.
• Ingrid Robeyns (2017), Wellbeing, Freedom and Social Justice: The Capability Approach Re-Examined, Download the pdf (open access)
• Martha Nussbaum (2011), Creating Capabilities; The Human Development Approach. Harvard University Press.
• Martha Nussbaum (2000), Women and Human Development, Cambridge University Press
• Séverine Deneulin with Lila Shahani (eds) (2009), An Introduction to the Human Development and Capability Approach.
• Séverine Deneulin (2014), Wellbeing, Justice and Development Ethics. Routledge.
• Ilse Oosterlaken (2015), Technology and Human Development, Routledge.
• Sakiko Fukuda-Parr and Shiv Kumar (eds) (2009), Handbook in Human Development, Delhi: Oxford University Press.
• Amartya Sen (2009), The Idea of Justice, London: Allen Lane
• Amartya Sen (1999), Development as Freedom, Oxford University Press
• Amartya Sen (1992), Inequality Re-examined, Oxford University Press

Introductory articles

• Ingrid Robeyns (2005), "The Capability Approach: A Theoretical Survey", Journal of Human Development 6(1): 93–114.
• Sabina Alkire (2005), "Why the Capability Approach", Journal of Human Development 6(1): 115–33.
• Ingrid Robeyns and Morten Fibieger Byskov  (2011, revised in 2020), "The Capability Approach", The Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy, Edward N. Zalta (ed.), https://plato.stanford.edu/entries/capability-approach/
• Erika Bockstael and Krushil Watene (2016), "Indigenous Peoples and the Capability Approach: Taking Stock", Oxford Development Studies, 44(3): 265–270.
• Ingrid Robeyns (2006), “Three Models of Education: Rights, Capabilities and Human Capital”, Theory and Research in Education 4, pp. 69–84.
• Martha Nussbaum (2003) "Capabilities as Fundamental Entitlements: Sen and Social Justice", Feminist Economics 9 (2–3): 33–59.
• Sabina Alkire (2002), "Dimensions of Human Development", World Development 30 (2), 181–205.
• Amartya Sen (1993)," Capability and Well-Being", in M. Nussbaum and A. Sen (eds.) The Quality of Life, Oxford Clarendon Press, pp. 30–53.
• Amartya Sen (1989), "Development as Capability Expansion", Journal of Development Planning 19: 41–58, reprinted in: Sakiko Fukuda-Parr and A.K. Shiva Kumar (eds.) (2003), Readings in Human Development, Oxford University Press, pp. 3–16
• Amartya Sen (1988), "The Concept of Development", in Behram and Strinivasan (eds.) Handbooks of Development Economics. Vol. 1. Elsevier: North-Holland, pp. 3–23.