Collective Capabilities and Local Democratic Governance to Transform Public Education: A Case Study on the Brazilian State of Ceará

Abstract

Amartya Sen's Capability Approach (CA) provides an alternative understanding of development, welfare, and democracy. Amartya Sen focuses on the non-material roots of welfare, such as agency freedom, and the material roots of economic development. However, his approach's liberal roots, which put individuals at the center of analysis, have been criticized in various aspects. The literature on collective capabilities provides arguments for filling these criticized gaps in the CA. This study aims to discuss the role of social movements in transforming the power relations created by the neoliberal economic and political system, along with its relationship between education and deliberative democracy through collective capabilities, using the solid example of the Brazilian state of Ceará. By examining Ceará, it is expected to see how collective capabilities can transform public education into a more inclusive direction in the long term. © 2025 Elsevier B.V., All rights reserved.