Professor Martha Nussbaum of the University of Chicago is one of the world´s leading thinkers on multiculturalism, humanities and human development. She is widely recognized for her work on the capability approach, a theory on good life focusing on what individuals are actually able to be and do which has been highly influential amongst others in development policy.

Nussbaum (2000) frames basic principles for good life in terms of 10 capabilities, i.e. real opportunities. She claims that a political order can only be considered as being decent if this order secures at least a threshold level of these 10 capabilities to all citizens. The ten capabilities are:

1. Life
2. Bodily Health
3. Bodily integrity
4. Senses, Imagination and Thought
5. Emotions
6. Practical Reason
7. Affiliation
8. Other Species
9. Play
10. Control over one´s Environment

Professor Nussbaum´s adaptation on the capability approach forms the basis for City of Helsinki´s work with young people. Helsinki publishes annually a report on young people´s capabilities, which leads to priorisation on young people´s services.

Helsinki´s Director of Youth Affairs Tommi Laitio interviews Professor Nussbaum on the role of public services in fostering decent life and on the role of arts and culture. The event is hosted by the Helsinki Youth Department in collaboration with the University of Helsinki and ArtsEqual research project (University of the Arts Helsinki).

The audience is encouraged to participate in the discussion. The event is held in English but questions and comments can be raised in Finnish.

The event can be followed live online and can be watched afterwards by going to the website of the ArtsEqual project (www.artsequal.fi)

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