Assistive Technology and the Wellbeing of Societies from a Capabilities Approach

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue considers assistive technology (AT) and environmental intervention (EI) through the lens of Sen’s capability approach and Nussbaum’s capabilities approach (CA). AT includes assistive products and related services. EI refers to adaptations to a person’s environment. AT and EI represent a continuum of impactful yet under-realised enablers. The evidence basis for AT and EI concerns the medicine, rehabilitation, vocational, education, and engineering fields and, as we argue, often focusses on individuals rather than societies.

Grounded in human rights and developmental economics, CA offers another path. CA focusses on the combination of internal capabilities (functionings), societal opportunities, and choice, which determines both what a person can do and be and what a person does or is. Capability gaps may arise between one’s internal capabilities and the opportunities presented societally. As instrumental commodities, AT and EI can play critical roles in enhancing capabilities and closing capability gaps. Duty holders, including governments and civil society, have a role in facilitating access to AT and EI.

From the perspective of CA, we invite authors to theoretically and empirically explore the links between access to AT or EI and justice, equity, or the wellbeing of societies.

Contributions must fall into one of the three categories (article/review/conceptual paper) of papers for accepted by the journal and address the topic of the Special Issue. Please see our details at: https://www.mdpi.com/journal/societies/instructions.

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Natasha Layton
Dr. Johan Borg
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as conceptual papers are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a double-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Societies is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.