Pobreza Multidimensional em Silveira Martins-RS: Identificação de Dimensões de Vida Valoradas com a Aplicação do Método Alkire-Foster (AF)

ABSTRACT Poverty has been the subject of many studies in recent years and the analyses have evolved from a traditional analysis, based on quantitative data and one-dimensional measurements, represented by the poverty line, to a more qualitative and multidimensional analysis. Considering the various dimensions in which individuals suffer privations, without denying the importance of monetary income, the aim of this paper is to present the qualitative aspects of poverty through the identification of those life dimensions most valued by people themselves. The study is based on Sen's Capability Approach and on completing the first steps of the methodology for calculating a multidimensional poverty index, pro-posed by Alkire and Foster (2007). Survey respondents were residents in the municipality of Silveira Martins, located in the central region of Rio Grande do Sul. It was possible to identify nine dimensions of poverty as the most valued by household research targets. KEYWORDS: Poverty, Capability Approach, Life Dimensions, Alkire-Foster Method, Multidimensional Measures