Measuring Educational Poverty in Italy: A Multi-Dimensional and Fuzzy Approach

This chapter presents the data and the indicators used to define the Educational Poverty (EP) multi-dimensional measure. From the policymaking perspective, the results of our analysis demonstrate the actual consistency and dimensions of EP at a useful local level, which in turn, suggest, for example, a revision of local governments’ normal policies employed to reverse EP. From a methodological point of view, taking a fuzzy perspective on EP attains particular significance in our multi-dimensional approach. Indeed, it overcomes the issue of transforming each single indicator used in the analysis into a simple dichotomous variable to indicate the percentage of people who are deprived with respect to each specific aspect, as implied by the approach taken by Mazziotta-Pareto. Although it is good practice to do so, this procedure requires information on the primary sampling units, rotational groups and strata, which are not available in the user database of the aspects of everyday life (AVQ) survey.