New Relational Capability Index (RCI)

Gaël Giraud, Cécile Renouard, Hélène L’Huillier, Raphaële de la Martinière and Camille Sutter have defined a new Relational Capability Index (RCI) which focuses on the quality of relationships between people and on their level of relational empowerment. This index is rooted in relational anthropology. It insists on the quality of the social fabric and of interpersonal relations as key aspects of human development. As a multidimensional index, the RCI includes integration into networks, private relations and civic commitments. The authors axiomate a family of multidimensional indexes which fills the gap between theories of justice and poverty measurements. Three different versions of the RCI are then applied to the measurement of the impact of oil companies on local communities in the Niger Delta (Nigeria) and to national surveys Afrobarometer).