Dignity And Daily Practice

In recent debates over poverty and development, notions of worth, dignity, and human rights have come to the forefront. This publication addresses the link between the theoretical notion of dignity as a social primary good and its material expressions in daily life from comparative social anthropological and historical perspectives. The empirical analysis is based on over one hundred in-depth interviews with lone mothers living in different cultural settings in Costa Rica. In addition, a unique and innovative national social policy measure aimed at promoting dignity and self-worth as a means to exit poverty and secure sustainable development is assessed.