Multidimensional deprivation: contrasting social welfare and counting approaches

Abstract

Adoption of a multidimensional approach to deprivation poses the challenge of understanding the interaction between different dimensions. Are we concerned with the union of all those deprived on at least one dimension or with the intersection of those deprived on all dimensions? How does the approach of counting deprivations relate to approaches based on social welfare? The paper brings out key features of different approaches and sets them in a common framework.