Psychology of Poverty Alleviation: Challenges in Developing Countries

This book integrates social and psycho-dynamic psychology, economics, policy design, and policy-process theory to explore ways to follow through on successful poverty-alleviation initiatives, while averting destructive conflict. It uses eight case studies across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and South Asia to demonstrate how social identities, attributions of deservingness, and perceptions of the policy process shape the willingness to support pro-poor policies and the conflict that emerges over distributional issues.

Format: Paperback / softback
Length: 269 pages
Publication date: 10 June 2021
Publisher: Cambridge University Press

Understanding the psychology of poverty is crucial for designing, enacting, and protecting poverty alleviation policies in developing countries. This book integrates social and psycho-dynamic psychology, economics, policy design, and policy-process theory to explore effective strategies for implementing successful poverty-alleviation initiatives while avoiding destructive conflict. Through eight case studies across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, William Ascher examines successes and failures in helping the poor through affirmative action, cash transfers, social-spending targeting, subsidies, and regional development. He demonstrates how social identities, attributions of deservingness, and perceptions of the policy process shape both the willingness to support pro-poor policies and the conflicts that arise over distributional issues.

Understanding the psychology of poverty is crucial for designing, enacting, and protecting poverty alleviation policies in developing countries. This book integrates social and psycho-dynamic psychology, economics, policy design, and policy-process theory to explore effective strategies for implementing successful poverty-alleviation initiatives while avoiding destructive conflict. Through eight case studies across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, William Ascher examines successes and failures in helping the poor through affirmative action, cash transfers, social-spending targeting, subsidies, and regional development. He demonstrates how social identities, attributions of deservingness, and perceptions of the policy process shape both the willingness to support pro-poor policies and the conflicts that arise over distributional issues.

Understanding the psychology of poverty is crucial for designing, enacting, and protecting poverty alleviation policies in developing countries. This book integrates social and psycho-dynamic psychology, economics, policy design, and policy-process theory to explore effective strategies for implementing successful poverty-alleviation initiatives while avoiding destructive conflict. Through eight case studies across Latin America, Southeast Asia, and South Asia, William Ascher examines successes and failures in helping the poor through affirmative action, cash transfers, social-spending targeting, subsidies, and regional development. He demonstrates how social identities, attributions of deservingness, and perceptions of the policy process shape both the willingness to support pro-poor policies and the conflicts that arise over distributional issues.

Weight: 414g
Dimension: 153 x 227 x 22 (mm)
ISBN-13: 9781108794572