Poverty Capital

by Ananya Roy

Winner of the 2011 Paul Davidoff award! This is a book about poverty but it does not study the poor and the powerless; instead it studies those who manage poverty. It sheds light on how powerful institutions control "capital," or circuits of profit and investment, as well as "truth," or authoritative knowledge about poverty. Such dominant practices are challenged by alternative paradigms of development, and the book details these as well. Using the case of microfinance, the book participates in a set of fierce debates about development – from the role of markets to the secrets of successful pro-poor institutions. Based on many years of research in Washington D.C., Bangladesh, and the Middle East, Poverty Capital also grows out of the author's undergraduate teaching to thousands of students on the subject of global poverty and inequality.

Genres: Economics, Nonfiction, Sociology, Geography, Business, Womens

272 pages, Paperback

First published March 12, 2010

Reviews

[Jacob Woocher · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is really good. One of the best critiques of the Western development/aid model and Washington Consensus that I've read. You'll learn a lot about how microfinance is practiced in different parts of the world and how Western institutions (The World Bank, specifically) try to control the production of knowledge surrounding this. She's very critical of the idea that bringing poor individuals into global financial markets is some sort of panacea for global poverty, but offers a very nuanced and sophisticated analysis instead of just railing against the status quo.

[Anand Nayak · Rating 3 out of 5]

The poverty in itself is highly confused concept. Its a comparative level of different states of individual style and living standard. I eagerly read the book to find the conceptual and real time understanding of the high sounding name Poverty capital. I am but sure to find the Author equally confused like the subject matter. She has narrated the feels and findings and understanding of hundreds of scholars and institutions who are relatively close to the community about whom we talk more and understand least. I could not find any outcome and any solutions or suggestions. Do we expect something should come out as the essence or the MORAL of the story.

[Kavya · Rating 4 out of 5]

great analysis of the discourse of development and very insightful interviews with reflective and crucial players in the industry. But sometimes the thesis was unclear due to an overabundance of material that represented the complicated discourse.

[Javier · Rating 4 out of 5]

finance

[Sean · Rating 4 out of 5]

Read it for a microfinance paper. Loved it. Might review it in Summer.