Timeline of poverty studies

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This is a timeline of poverty studies.

Sample questions

  • Literature
  • Study
  • Background (statistics)
  • Background (crisis)
  • Concept development
  • Organization

Big picture

Time period Development summary More details
1950s "The term "developing country" was formed at the beginning of the 1950's."[1]
1960s "By the 1960s, an increasing number of development economists felt that economics alone could not fully address issues such as political effectiveness and educational provision."[2]

Full timeline

Year Month and date Event type Details
1776 Literature Scottish economist and philosopher Adam Smith publishes An Inquiry into the Nature and Causes of the Wealth of Nations. Related to poverty in the context of economic principles and policies. This book lays the foundation for classical economics and emphasizes the role of individual self-interest and free markets in generating wealth and economic growth. The book explores the benefits of division of labor, the concept of the invisible hand[3], and the idea that economic prosperity can lead to the overall improvement of society.[4]
1879 Literature Henry George publishes Progress and Poverty, which explores the causes of industrial depressions and the persistence of poverty despite advancing wealth. Notable figures like Albert Einstein, Winston Churchill, Leo Tolstoy, and Sun Yat-sen would advocate for this classic work. George, witnessing the negative effects of land enclosure on labor conditions, proposes solutions through changes in the tax system to rectify poverty and unemployment without confiscating land. The book seeks to provide an alternative ethical and practical guide.[5][6]
1906 Concept development Vilfredo Pareto introduces the concept of the Pareto Distribution, after observing that 20% of the pea pods were responsible for 80% of the peas planted in his garden.[7]
1907 April 19 Organization The Russell Sage Foundation is founded.[8] Based in New York City, today it is a prominent American foundation solely focused on research in the social sciences. It serves as both a research center and a funding entity for studies conducted by scholars across various academic and research institutions. The foundation publishes books under its imprint, showcasing the outcomes of research conducted by its grantees and visiting scholars.[9]
1912 Measurement tool The Gini coefficient is developed by the Italian statistician Corrado Gini and published in his paper Variability and Mutability (Variabilità e mutabilità).[10]
1916 Organization The Brookings Institution is founded.[11] It engages in research to explore potential solutions for addressing societal challenges at the local, national, and global levels.[12]
1927 Literature (journal) The Social Service Review (SSR) is founded. It is devoted to the publication of thought provoking, original research on pressing social issues and promising social work practices and social welfare policies. [13]
1954 Concept development The idea of the Kuznets curve is first proposed by American economist Simon Kuznets in his presidential address to the American Economics Association in 1954 and in his paper, “Economic Growth and Income Inequality”, which would be published in 1955 in The Journal of Economic Perspective. Kuznets argues and shows evidence that there is a relationship between economic growth and inequality. This relationship is characterized by an increase and then a decrease in inequality as an economy develops, creating an inverted “U” shape.[14]
1962 Organization The South Asia Institute, Heidelberg University (SAI) is formed. It combines seven departments in global humanities and social sciences, fostering interdisciplinary collaboration among faculty, researchers, and students. SAI aims to enhance understanding of South Asian realities and encourages dialogue with policymakers. The Kathmandu Office, operating since 1987, collaborates with Tribhuvan University, offering research support, academic exchange programs, and organizing events.[15]
1966 March Organization The Institute for Research on Poverty is established.
1967 Dutch econometrician Henri Theil introduces what would be known as the Theil indexs to analyze concentration and inequality in size income distributions. These indices are particularly valuable in applied economic analysis due to their decomposability property.[16]
1968 Concept development U.S. sociologists Robert K. Merton and Harriet Zuckerman introduce the concept known as the Matthew effect. This phenomenon refers to the tendency of individuals to accumulate social or economic success based on their initial levels of popularity, friends, and wealth. It is often succinctly expressed through the saying "the rich get richer and the poor get poorer." The term derives its name from a loose interpretation of the Parable of the Talents in the biblical Gospel of Matthew.
1970 Measurement tool The Atkinson index is introduced by British economist Tony Atkinson.[17] It is a measure of income inequality that identifies the contribution of different ends of the distribution to overall inequality. By introducing a coefficient, it can be transformed into a normative measure, allowing greater weight on specific income distribution segments based on the chosen "inequality aversion" level. As the aversion level increases (approaches 1), the index becomes more sensitive to changes at the lower end, while decreasing aversion (approaching 0) makes it more responsive to changes at the upper end of the income distribution.[18]
1972 Literature (essay) Peter Singer publishes Famine, Affluence, and Morality, which would become a highly influential essay in applied ethics. Singer contends that we bear the same moral responsibilities to distant individuals as we do to those close to us. He argues that refraining from providing life-saving aid to starving people globally is morally akin to neglecting to rescue drowning children to keep our shoes clean. Singer's strong stance asserts that if we can help, we are morally obligated to do so, dismissing any excuses as hypocrisy. This essay remains a powerful call to address extreme poverty and continues to challenge societal attitudes.[19][20]
1978 Ghai investigates the literature that criticized the basic needs approach. Critics argue that the basic needs approach lack scientific rigour; it is consumption-oriented and antigrowth. Some consider it to be "a recipe for perpetuating economic backwardness" and for giving the impression "that poverty elimination is all too easy".[21]
1981 Literature American investor and author George Gilder publishes Wealth and Poverty, in which he challenges the efficacy of centralized economic planning, contending that its failure stems from the misconception that wealth is fixed and tangible. In contrast, he champions capitalism, asserting that it thrives on the recognition that wealth is transient and arises from factors such as creativity, courage, and technological innovation. Gilder underscores the indispensable role of entrepreneurs, positing that they are the catalysts for generating wealth, and without them, the very foundation for wealth distribution would cease to exist.[22]
1981 Concept development The term "poverty porn" is coined by Jorgen Lissner, drawing attention to the purposefully shocking use of images depicting people in poverty, particularly sick and starving children, in the developing world. Lissner likens these images to pornography due to their intimate and personal nature. Over the following four decades, the use of such images would spark controversy and critiques from post-colonial scholars and ongoing discussions in the media. "Poverty porn" refers to the sensationalized and exploitative portrayal of poverty in fundraising advertisements by non-governmental organizations (NGOs), raising concerns about perpetuating negative stereotypes and reinforcing a perception of individuals in developing countries as helpless and lacking agency.[23]
1984 Concept development The Foster–Greer–Thorbecke indices are introduced in a paper by economists Erik Thorbecke, Joel Greer, and James Foster.[24][25]
1984 The Underprivileged area score is introduced as an index aimed at assessing socio-economic disparities in small geographical regions. This score emerges from a necessity identified in the Acheson Committee Report, which focuses on General Practitioner (GP) services in the UK. The report highlights the need for an index to identify 'underprivileged areas' with high patient numbers, leading to increased pressure on general practitioner services.
1986 Concept development The term "sick building syndrome" is coined by the World Health Organization, when they also estimate that 10–30% of newly built office buildings in the West have indoor air problems. Early Danish and British studies report symptoms.[26]
1989 Organization (research center) The National Center for Children in Poverty is established at Columbia University.[27] Later relocating to the Bank Street College of Education, it is a non-partisan research center dedicated to advocating for the well-being of children in low-income families. NCCP covers various topics such as child poverty, adolescent health, youth development, low-wage work, and children's mental health. The center conducts extensive research, producing over 30 publications annually, including fact sheets and comprehensive reports. Funding is sourced from government, corporate, foundation, and private sources, with a primary reliance on foundation grants and federal funding.[28][29][30]
1990 Literature (journal) The Journal of Health Care for the Poor and Underserved is founded. It is the official journal of the Association of Clinicians for the Underserved (ACU), established in the same year. This academic journal is dedicated to addressing contemporary health care issues affecting medically underserved communities. It covers diverse topics such as health care access, quality, costs, legislation, regulations, health promotion, and disease prevention in North and Central America, the Caribbean, and sub-Saharan Africa.[31]
1993 Concept development Argentine lawyer Leandro Despouy, serving as the UN Special Rapporteur on extreme poverty and human rights at the time, utilizes a definition derived from a 1987 report to the French Economic and Social Council by Fr. Joseph Wresinski, the founder of the International Movement ATD Fourth World.[32] This definition distinguishes between "lack of basic security" (poverty) and "chronic poverty" (extreme poverty). It emphasizes the goal of eliminating extreme poverty by providing individuals currently facing it with genuine opportunities to fully exercise all their human rights:
The lack of basic security connotes the absence of one or more factors enabling individuals and families to assume basic responsibilities and to enjoy fundamental rights. The situation may become widespread and result in more serious and permanent consequences. The lack of basic security leads to chronic poverty when it simultaneously affects several aspects of people's lives, when it is prolonged and when it severely compromises people's chances of regaining their rights and of reassuming their responsibilities in the foreseeable future."[33]
1996 Literature Brian Clive Smith publishes Understanding Third World Politics: Theories of Political Change and Development, which provides a comprehensive and critical introduction to key political theories and controversies in international development. Targeted at students in Third World politics, political and economic development, and comparative government courses, the book covers shared and diverse experiences of developing societies, debates on imperialism, and the term "Third World." B. C. Smith evaluates explanations of political change, theorizes the nature of political institutions, and discusses the contemporary instabilities they face, offering insights into the complexities of political dynamics in the developing world.[34]
1996 Literature U.S. sociologist William Julius Wilson publishes When Work Disappears, in which he challenges prevailing liberal and conservative beliefs, shedding light on the severe consequences of joblessness in urban ghettos. Wilson contends that pervasive issues in America's inner cities, such as fatherless households, drug abuse, and violent crime, are direct outcomes of the decline in blue-collar jobs amid a globalized economy. He presents this crisis as a nationwide concern, proposing solutions that could benefit society at large.[35]
1997 Measurement tool The Human Poverty Index is first reported by the United Nations as an indication of the poverty of community in a country. It is developed to complement the Human Development Index (HDI) and is first reported as part of the Human Deprivation Report. It is considered to better reflect the extent of deprivation in deprived countries compared to the HDI.[36]
1997 Poverty measurement Rick Davies introduces the Basic Necessities Survey (BNS) as a method to measure poverty. The BNS is designed for simplicity, easy implementation, and democratic identification of poverty and entitlement. It adapts previous methods, emphasizing a consensual definition of poverty. Respondents democratically define basic necessities, with items weighted based on agreement percentage. Individual poverty scores are generated, representing the sum of weighted basic necessities. The BNS combines material conditions and individuals' perceptions, providing a comprehensive view of their lives.[37]
1998 July 1 Organization The Center for International Development at Harvard University (CID) is founded through the collaboration of the Harvard Institute for International Development (HIID) and the Kennedy School of Government (KSG). It functions as Harvard's main hub for researching sustainable international development.[38] The Harvard Center for International Development engages in research on international development across various academic levels.[12]
1998 Literature Indian economist Amartya Sen publishes Development as Freedom, which posits that development is best comprehended as the expansion of freedoms across political, economic, social, transparency, and personal security domains. Sen argues that the primary objective of development is to extend freedom to those who lack it, asserting that freedom is not just a means but also the ultimate goal of social and economic structures for achieving general welfare. He underscores the interdependent relationship between development and freedom, viewing development as a cohesive process that enhances various substantive freedoms like access to healthcare, education, political dissent, and economic opportunities. Sen contends that political freedoms contribute to economic security, while social opportunities, such as education and health, promote economic participation. In the same year, Sen is awarded the Nobel Memorial Prize in Economic Sciences.[39][40][41]
1999 Literature Banker to the Poor is published by Muhammad Yunus and Alan Jolis. The book recounts the journey of Muhammad Yunus, Nobel Peace Prize winner and founder of Grameen Bank. Starting in 1976, Yunus, after witnessing rural poverty in Bangladesh, initiated micro-loans with no collateral or interest for impoverished women. The success led to the establishment of Grameen Bank in 1977, pioneering a unique micro-credit model where groups of five borrowers received loans under specific repayment terms. The book details Grameen's expansion globally and diversification into projects like fisheries, textiles, cell phones, and renewable energy. Yunus envisions a poverty-free world through fair opportunities, challenging the conventional approach of charity.[42]
2000 Research The World Institute for Development Economics Research at United Nations University publishes a study reporting that the richest 1% of adults alone own 40% of global assets in the year 2000. The three richest people in the world possess more financial assets than the lowest 48 nations combined.[43]
2000 Organization Chronic Poverty Research Centre is founded in the United Kingdom. It is a global collaboration involving universities, research institutions, and NGOs, with the mission to bring attention to chronic poverty, enhance understanding of its root causes, foster national and international discussions, and provide research, analysis, and policy guidance to contribute to poverty reduction. The center seeks to deepen insights into chronic poverty and influence policies aimed at its alleviation.[44]
2001 Literature Antonio Estache, Vivien Foster, and Quentin Wodon publish Accounting for Poverty in Infrastructure Reform: Learning from Latin America's Experience, which examines the interconnections between infrastructure reform and poverty alleviation in Latin America, offering a comprehensive analysis of the impacts of a decade of reforms. The book underscores the significance of infrastructure investment in poverty alleviation programs, emphasizing that addressing the access and affordability of basic services remains crucial. It provides practical guidelines and methodologies for policymakers, reformers, and regulators to assess infrastructure needs, focusing on cost-effective strategies.[45]
2002 Background (statistics) The World Health Report, 2002 states that diseases of poverty account for 45% of the disease burden in the countries with high poverty rate which are preventable or treatable with existing interventions.[46]
2002 Organization Innovations for Poverty Action is founded by American development economist Dean Karlan.[47] It is a non-governmental organization focused on researching and advocating effective solutions to global poverty challenges. By collaborating with researchers and decision-makers, IPA evaluates and promotes these solutions. IPA would collaborate with over 600 researchers, conducting over 830 evaluations in 51 countries, and successfully implementing programs worldwide.[48]
2003 June Organization Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab (J-PAL) is founded by professors Abhijit Banerjee, Esther Duflo, and Sendhil Mullainathan.[49] Originally named the Poverty Action Lab, it would be later renamed in honor of Sheikh Abdul Latif Jameel, a major supporter. A global research center, J-PAL focuses on reducing poverty by conducting randomized impact evaluations across various sectors, such as agriculture, health, governance, and education. The lab collaborates with governments, NGOs, and donors to apply scientific evidence to inform policy, sharing knowledge and scaling up effective programs. J-PAL's approach, termed as a "revolution in evaluation," emphasizes rigorous testing and tangible results, contributing to the application of behavioral economics in global development.[50]
2003 Organization The Center for American Progress is founded. A global poverty Think tank, it is a progressive research and advocacy organization committed to enhancing the well-being of Americans through the promotion of progressive ideas and proactive initiatives.[12]
2004 Literature David K. Shipler publishes The Working Poor, which delves into the lives of poverty-level working families across various ethnic backgrounds in the United States. Shipler explores the challenges they face, including low-paying jobs, dysfunctional parenting, and substance abuse. The narrative also criticizes the government for its perceived failure to provide adequate housing, healthcare, and education.[51]
2004 Literature Indian-American entrepreneur and author C. K. Prahalad publishes The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, which explores the vast and untapped market potential of the world's billions of poor people, emphasizing the opportunity for companies to serve this demographic profitably. The book provides a blueprint for driving radical innovation to succeed in emerging markets and enhance overall competitiveness. Prahalad shares eleven success stories from diverse sectors, such as finance, healthcare, and retail, demonstrating how companies are not only making profits but also aiding impoverished communities. The book aims to inspire a revolution by fostering inclusive capitalism, reducing poverty, and creating profitable markets at the bottom of the pyramid.[52]
2004 Organization The Oakland Institute is founded. A global poverty Think tank, it focuses its efforts on issues related to land rights, climate change, sustainable food systems, international aid, foreign investment, and other pertinent areas.[12]
2005 January 1 Literature Paulette Dieterlen publishes Poverty: A Philosophical Approach, which delves into philosophical aspects surrounding poverty, particularly within the context of the Program for Education, Health, and Food (PROGRESA) implemented in Mexico from 1997 to 2002. The book emphasizes the necessity of theoretical discussions to clarify ideas related to the application of social policies in addressing poverty. Poverty is examined as an ethical issue, intertwined with self-esteem, and the philosophy of poverty is explored in connection to distribution criteria for individuals facing extreme poverty. The text also scrutinizes social policies, highlighting the importance of considering cultural differences and addressing issues of equality to target marginalized groups.[53]
2005 Literature American economist Jeffrey Sachs publishes The End of Poverty, which provides a vision for achieving global economic success and eradicating poverty. Sachs, a renowned economist, combines vivid storytelling with analytical insight. He categorizes countries based on their economic status and explores the historical divergence of wealth worldwide. Sachs shares stories from Bolivia to Africa, offering a holistic diagnosis of countries' situations. The book concludes with integrated solutions addressing economic, political, environmental, and social challenges. Sachs portrays the world's problems as solvable through moral responsibility and strategic self-interest, providing a roadmap for a prosperous future.[54]
2005 Organization The Young China Scholars Poverty Research Network is launched.
2005 Organization Brooks World Poverty Institute is founded at the University of Manchester. Funded by the Rory and Elizabeth Brooks Foundation to undertake substantial research initiatives, it aims to play a role in advancing understanding and practices related to chronic poverty, social assistance, supply chains, and the political dynamics of development. While maintaining strong connections with the Institute of Development Policy and Management (IDPM), BWPI pursues an independent research agenda.[55]
2005 Organization Commission on Legal Empowerment of the Poor is established.[56]
2005 Concept development The concept of the poverty penalty is introduced, illustrating the tendency for individuals with lower economic means to incur higher costs for food, purchases, and loans compared to wealthier counterparts. This term gains prominence following the publication of C. K. Prahalad's book The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid in the same year.
2006 Literature Poverty and Inequality is published, featuring contributions from eminent public intellectuals, including Amartya Sen, Martha Nussbaum, François Bourguignon, William Julius Wilson, Douglas Massey, and Martha Albertson Fineman. The focus is on reassessing current analytical perspectives on poverty and inequality. The contributors argue that conventional poverty indices and rights-based approaches are outdated, emphasizing the need for a contemporary understanding of poverty in evolving social structures. They explore how modern poverty is shaped in neighborhoods, highlight housing market discrimination as a significant source of poverty, address gender inequalities, and propose that contemporary inequality is best grasped as a disparity in fundamental human capabilities. The book calls for a reevaluation of scholarship and policy to address new forms of poverty and social exclusion.[57]
2006 Measurement tool The Global Hunger Index is created.[58]
2007 Literature British development economist Paul Collier publishes The Bottom Billion, which provides a comprehensive examination of 50 failed states, home to the world's poorest billion people. Collier explores the causes of their failure, critically assessing ineffective solutions like aid and globalization that contribute to development challenges. The book brings attention to these small, neglected nations, overlooked by the industrialized West, facing a continuous decline in living standards. Universally praised, it advocates for a reassessment of strategies to address the unique issues affecting these countries.[59]
2007 Organization The Stanford Center on Poverty and Inequality is founded as a part of the Institute for Research in the Social Sciences at Stanford University. It aims to monitor trends in poverty and inequality, support scientific analysis of these issues, develop evidence-based policies for poverty prevention, and disseminate data and research on poverty. The center contributes to research, policy analysis, and training in the field of poverty and inequality.[60][61]
2007 Literature Muhammad Yunus and Karl Weber publish Creating a World Without Poverty: Social Business and the Future of Capitalism, which explores the limitations of traditional capitalism in addressing issues like inequality and poverty. As a sequel to Banker to the Poor, Yunus introduces the concept of social business, where entrepreneurial vision is applied to tackle pressing problems such as poverty, homelessness, healthcare, and environmental protection. The book outlines a transformative economic and social revolution, emphasizing the potential of business to contribute meaningfully to social welfare. Muhammad Yunus envisions a future where businesses creatively address and solve the world's most significant challenges, paving the way for a more inclusive and sustainable global society.[62]
2007 Literature Ian Gough and J. Allister McGregor publish Wellbeing in Developing Countries: From Theory to Research, which challenges traditional views on development and poverty, advocating for a new paradigm centered around human wellbeing. The book critiques conventional frameworks that focus solely on economic factors. It introduces a three-fold perspective, examining human functioning, livelihoods, and subjective wellbeing. The book aims to establish a novel strategy and methodology for researching wellbeing, with the potential to influence policy.[63]
2008 March Literature David Hemson publishes Poverty and Water: Explorations of the Reciprocal Relationship, which addresses the issue of water in the context of twenty-first-century development. The book uses a global array of case studies to highlight that water is not just a matter of physical scarcity but is intricately linked to political dynamics with profound implications. The text emphasizes that addressing water-related challenges requires political reform to protect the rights of the poor, challenging exploitative policies and fostering a more equitable world for all. The book advocates for governmental intervention to achieve Millennium Development Goals and alleviate poverty.[64]
2008 Documentary film Unnatural Causes: Is Inequality Making Us Sick? is broadcasted in the United States as a four-hour documentary series. It examines the role of social determinants of health in creating health inequalities/health disparities (which the film considers health inequities) in the country.[65]
2009 Literature Steve Corbett and Brian Fikkert publish When Helping Hurts, which challenges common misconceptions about poverty and offers a comprehensive guide for effective poverty alleviation. The authors argue that faulty assumptions often lead churches and individuals to employ strategies that unintentionally harm both the poor and those trying to help. The book introduces foundational concepts, articulates general principles, and provides relevant applications for an effective and holistic approach to ministry. The authors emphasize assessing situations to determine whether relief, rehabilitation, or development is the most appropriate response. They advocate for an "asset-based" rather than a "needs-based" approach and address short-term mission efforts along with economic development strategies suitable for various contexts.[66]
2009 July Literature Indian historian Vijay Prashad publishes The Darker Nations: A Biography of the Short-Lived Third World, which offers a paradigm-shifting history of the Third World, portraying it not as a place but as a project. Tracing the intellectual origins and political history of the Third World concept, Prashad covers the post-World War II period when nations in Asia, Africa, and South America gained independence. The narrative explores the downfall of nationalist regimes and provides vivid portraits of key figures like Jawaharlal Nehru and Gamal Abdel Nasser. Prashad contends that the demise of the Third World has left a significantly impoverished international political landscape.[67]
2009 Concept development The Individual Deprivation Measure is introduced as a tool to measure multidimensional poverty at the individual level. IDM is a gender-sensitive tool developed in response to flaws in existing approaches to measuring poverty and gender disparity. It addresses shortcomings such as excluding important dimensions of deprivation, difficulty in cross-context and over-time comparisons, and the focus on households rather than individuals. Developed through participatory research in multiple countries, the IDM measures deprivation at the individual level, enabling the investigation of its distribution within households. It justifies its approach through public reasoning, considers previously excluded dimensions, employs interval scoring, and uses a weighting scheme. The IDM, applicable across contexts, assesses poverty in 15 dimensions, offering a comprehensive and cost-effective survey for gender-sensitive, multidimensional poverty assessments.[68]
2009 Literature Arnold S. Kling and Nick Schulz publish From Poverty to Prosperity: Intangible Assets, Hidden Liabilities and the Lasting Triumph Over Scarcity, which explores a revolutionary reorientation in economics over the last few decades. The book challenges the conventional economic narrative that relied on mathematical abstraction, emphasizing the importance of creativity, innovation, and advancing technology in driving economic progress. It discusses both positive forces like technological advancements and negative forces such as bad governance that impact economic development. The book provides a comprehensive, big-picture perspective on the global differences in living standards, drawing on research from prominent economists and presenting a more inclusive vision of how the world works.[69]
2010 July 29 Measurement tool The Global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) is developed by the Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme.[70]
2011 January T. Atkinson and T. Piketty introduce the World Inequality Database for the first time. This database is developed to complement the release of their two books, "Top Incomes over the XXth Century" (2007, Oxford University Press) and "Top Incomes: a Global Perspective" (2010, Oxford University Press). The World Inequality Database stands as the most comprehensive available source on the historical changes in the global distribution of income and wealth, encompassing both intra-country and inter-country perspectives.[71]
2011 Research An OECD study investigates economic inequality in Argentina, Brazil, China, India, Indonesia, Russia and South Africa. It concludes that key sources of inequality in these countries include "a large, persistent informal sector, widespread regional divides (e.g. urban-rural), gaps in access to education, and barriers to employment and career progression for women."[72]
2011 Literature Abhijit Banerjee and Esther Duflo publish Poor Economics: A Radical Rethinking of the Way to Fight Global Poverty, which challenges common assumptions about poverty alleviation. The authors, pioneers in the use of randomized control trials in development economics, question widely held beliefs such as the effectiveness of microfinance and the direct correlation between schooling and learning. Drawing on their work supervised by the Abdul Latif Jameel Poverty Action Lab, Banerjee and Duflo emphasize the need to understand the unique challenges faced by the poor and caution against one-size-fits-all approaches. The book advocates for evidence-based policies and a nuanced understanding of poverty.[73]
2012 Literature Vijay Prashad publishes The Poorer Nations: A Possible History of the Global South, which offers a global history, examining the potential power shift from the North to the South. Continuing from his previous work, The Darker Nations, Prashad explores the struggles of Global South countries to build political movements since the 1970s. Analyzing the failures of neoliberalism and the rise of alternative movements like the BRICS countries and the World Social Forum, Prashad challenges the dominance of powerful institutions. The book sees the Global South not just as a geographical space but as a collective resistance against neoliberalism, providing a nuanced perspective on historical and future global dynamics.[74]
2012 Concept development The Great Gatsby Curve is introduced by late professor and Chairman of the Council Economic Advisers Alan Krueger during his speech at the Center for American Progress.[75][76][77][78] The concept illustrates an empirical relationship between income inequality and intergenerational mobility.
2013 Notable publication Gallup publishes a list of countries with median annual household income, based on a self-reported survey of approximately 2000 adults from each country.[79] Using median, rather than mean income, results in a much more accurate picture of the typical income of the middle class since the data will not be skewed by gains and abnormalities in the extreme ends. The figures are in international dollars using purchasing power parity and are based on responses from 2006 to 2012 inflation adjusted to 2010 levels.[79][80]
2014 September 8 Organization Land Portal is established.[81] It a multidisciplinary organization dedicated to enhancing land governance by promoting open data and fostering collaborative efforts across different sectors related to land.[12]
2015 November 15 Literature Ananya Roy and Emma Shaw Crane publish Territories of Poverty: Rethinking North and South, which challenges traditional North-South geographies in poverty scholarship. The book offers theoretical interventions by exploring the social histories of the American welfare state and critical ethnographies of international development regimes. It delves into how poverty is constructed as a problem, analyzing bureaucracies, movements, and global networks related to poverty. The focus extends to spatial technologies of power, covering community development in the 1960s and the anticipation of war in Beirut. The book emphasizes understanding poverty regulation as diverse terrains of struggle for justice and social transformation, incorporating dissent, rupture, and mobilization.[82]
2015 December 8 Literature Australian economist Martin Ravallion publishes The Economics of Poverty: History, Measurement, and Policy, which evaluates the progress in global poverty reduction over the past 30 years. While extreme poverty has decreased, challenges persist, with inequalities threatening growth and poverty reduction. The book critically reviews historical and current debates on poverty, offering a synthesis of economic thinking on key questions. It addresses topics such as poverty measurement, its causes, and potential solutions. Accessible to those unfamiliar with economics, the book emphasizes real-world relevance, using the issue of poverty as a central focus for understanding economic concepts and methods.[83]
2015 Literature Adam Perkins publishes The Welfare Trait, which links poverty to the welfare state by presenting data that indicates the welfare system may increase the number of children born into disadvantaged households. Moreover, it asserts that childhood disadvantage, often associated with poverty, can lead to the development of an employment-resistant personality profile characterized by aggressive, antisocial, and rule-breaking tendencies.[84]
2016 March 8 Literature Ananya Roy et al. publish Encountering Poverty: Thinking and Acting in an Unequal World, which challenges traditional views on global poverty, moving beyond the notion that it can be solely addressed through economic or technological solutions. The book explores the underlying power dynamics and privilege contributing to persistent impoverishment. Employing critical analysis and pedagogy, it delves into the complexities of poverty action, urging readers—students, educators, activists, and development professionals—to confront inequality by acknowledging the historical context of development and grappling with the ethical dilemmas associated with contemporary poverty initiatives.[85]
2016 Literature Matthew Desmond publishes Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City, which follows the lives of eight families in Milwaukee as they face the challenges of keeping a roof over their heads during the 2007–2008 financial crisis. Desmond, a Princeton sociologist, offers an exploration of poverty and economic exploitation, and provides ideas for addressing these problems. It would be acclaimed for its vivid and unsettling portrayal, setting a new standard for reporting on poverty and receiving numerous awards.[86]
2016 Literature Yuen Yuen Ang publishes How China Escaped the Poverty Trap, which challenges traditional views on poverty alleviation by rejecting linear causation, a mechanistic worldview, and historical determinism. Ang introduces a new paradigm based on complex adaptive systems, emphasizing interdependence and humanity's innovation capacity. Through over 400 interviews, she analyzes China's transformation, contending that it resulted from "directed improvisation" – top-down directives combined with bottom-up improvisation by local officials. The book suggests that transformative change necessitates an adaptive governing system empowering local actors, and escaping poverty involves utilizing existing resources to initiate new markets, even if it contradicts first-world norms.[87]
2016 Organization The Luskin Institute on Inequality and Democracy is founded by former UC Berkeley faculty member Ananya Roy, with the goal of understanding and transforming the societal divides and dispossessions of the 21st century. A global poverty Think tank[12], it focuses on advancing radical democracy through research, critical thought, and alliances with social movements and racial justice activism. Its programs and projects, emphasizing housing justice, predatory financialization, policing and incarceration, and decolonizing the university, bring together various disciplines and forms of scholarship to analyze and address contemporary divides and dispossessions both in the university and in cities globally.[88]
2016 August Research A study proposes a method to predict poverty in developing countries by combining satellite imagery and machine learning. The researchers utilize a convolutional neural network trained on satellite data and surveys from five African countries. The model identifies image features explaining 75% of the variation in local economic outcomes, providing an accurate and scalable means to estimate consumption expenditure and asset wealth. The approach, relying on publicly available data, has the potential to enhance poverty tracking and targeting efforts in resource-limited settings, showcasing the broader applicability of machine learning in scientific domains with limited training data.[89]
2016 October Literature Joop Wijnandus Wit publishes Urban Poverty, Local Governance and Everyday Politics in Mumbai, which explores informal patronage relations between the urban poor and service delivery organizations in Mumbai, India. Focusing on slum conditions, the book examines social and political exclusion, emphasizing the roles of slum-based mediators and municipal councillors. It unveils issues in democracy at the grassroots level, where election candidates target vote banks with freebies and private-sector funding. The work combines theories from political science, anthropology, and policy studies, offering a multi-level overview of actors in local municipal governance. Rich in ethnographic data, it addresses citizenship, urban poverty, gender relations, public services, and neoliberal politics.[90]
2017 Literature Benjamin Curtis and Serena Cosgrove publish Understanding Global Poverty: Causes, Capabilities, and Human Development, which introduces students to the study and analysis of poverty, emphasizing its pervasive nature across human societies and exploring ways to reduce it through proven policy solutions. The book utilizes the capabilities and human development approach, placing the human aspects of poverty at the forefront and considering the experiences and needs of the world's poor. Drawing on various disciplines such as anthropology, sociology, political science, public health, and economics, the interdisciplinary volume covers definitions, measurement, causes of poverty, and policy responses. It also addresses the ethical aspects of poverty reduction and encourages readers to take action. The book is suitable for postgraduates, upper-level undergraduates, policymakers, and development practitioners.[91]
2017 Literature Mark Lipse publishes Misgovernment: When Lawful Authority Prevents Justice and Prosperity, which explores the question of why many countries experience poor governance. Lipse presents a theory suggesting that misgovernment often arises when lawmakers neglect natural rights while establishing legal, administrative, and constitutional powers of governments. Particularly prevalent in developing countries, this phenomenon results in what Lipse terms predatory jurisdiction—government powers that, although lawful and commonly perceived as normal, have the potential to be unjust and destructive. The book outlines how benchmarks can be established to identify inappropriate government powers and proposes standards of justice for their assessment. Lipse emphasizes the importance of an informed citizenry in combating misgovernment, injustice, and poverty, offering a new perspective on governance based on the principle that classical natural rights provide a solid foundation for effective social activism.[92]
2018 April 3 Literature Hans Rosling, Ola Rosling and Anna Rosling Rönnlund publish Factfulness: Ten Reasons We're Wrong About the World – and Why Things Are Better Than You Think, which challenges common misconceptions about global trends and highlights the importance of basing opinions on strong supporting facts. The book explores why people consistently answer simple questions about global issues incorrectly and identifies ten instincts that distort perspectives, such as dividing the world into "us and them" and succumbing to media-driven fear. The authors emphasize the role of unconscious biases in shaping our understanding of the world and offer a more fact-based, optimistic view of global progress. The book aims to inspire readers to focus on real concerns and respond effectively to future challenges.[93]
2020 Research A World Bank paper estimates that between 32 million and 132 million additional people will be pushed into extreme poverty by 2030 due to climate change.[94]
2022 October 31 Research A study explores the applications of artificial intelligence in predicting poverty, aiming to answer key research questions. The analysis reveals a significant progress in AI's role in poverty prediction since 2016. Fifty-seven AI methods were employed, with random forest being the most popular. The adoption of AI tools resulted in quicker and more accurate poverty prediction, leveraging diverse datasets. The study provides the first comprehensive survey of AI applications in poverty prediction, emphasizing the advancements made in a relatively short period.[95]

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References

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