Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website
Rev. Brian J. Shanley, O.P. President | St. John's University website
Numbers can play a significant role in addressing poverty and serve as a tool for those with goodwill. This was the central theme of Sabina Alkire, D.Phil, during her lecture titled "Faith and Poverty Measurement." Dr. Alkire holds the 2024–25 Vincentian Chair of Social Justice and delivered the first of four lectures scheduled for the academic year on October 16 at the D’Angelo Center.
Dr. Alkire's lecture focused on her Multidimensional Poverty Index, which aims to quantify poverty and its impact. She is a Professor of Poverty and Human Development and directs the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative at the University of Oxford.
Rev. Patrick J. Griffin, C.M. ’13HON, Executive Director of the Vincentian Center for Church and Society, noted that "this measure of poverty has been adopted by the United Nations and many countries of the world." He emphasized that Dr. Alkire demonstrates how poverty is not merely numerical but also a personal burden affecting many globally. He stated, "It describes a lack of health care, education, housing, nourishment, and other factors."
During her lecture, Dr. Alkire shared the story of an impoverished woman in India who manages to remain joyful despite severe hardships. The woman subsists on minimal food while working multiple jobs for meager pay. Dr. Alkire highlighted this story to ask how such encounters can lead to actionable measures against poverty.
Dr. Alkire argued that understanding personal stories alongside circumstances is crucial for investing in structural change. She explained that multidimensional poverty measures assess whether individuals experience simultaneous deprivations within their households.
According to Catholic Social Teaching on poverty, human dignity is inherent as people are created in God's image. Dr. Alkire pointed out that poverty denies people goods aligned with their dignity as humans: "Encyclicals use strong words in describing states of poverty as cruel, intolerable, miserable, and appalling."
While acknowledging the importance of measuring poverty, Dr. Alkire stressed it is not a complete solution: "It shines a light on some aspects of society that are unjust." She concluded by stating it is part of a broader effort to address deprivation and realize one's dignity.
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