Meera Tiwari

The MDGs and Beyond

‘Development’ has come to mean the MDGs for many — policy-makers in particular. In this chapter we look at the evolution of the meaning of development and its relationship with the MDGs.1 We draw on recent conceptual discussions regarding the evolving notion of ‘well-being’ (as opposed to poverty, deprivation and ‘ill-being’) and ask what it adds and what it might contribute to a post-2015 future.

Exploring the Role of the Capability Approach in Social Innovation

Abstract The emergence of the co-operative movement in the nineteenth century with Robert Owen’s work in particular promoted innovation in the social field. In more recent times, the application of the concept has been in a wide range of sectors from civil society, government and the corporate world. The paper uses the Capability Approach (CA) to understand the human dimensions of social innovation (SI). In doing so, the paper draws attention to the complementarities between the CA and SI. Four case studies from different domains are deployed to further the understanding of the SI using a CA lens. The findings offer a new insight into SI in terms of the CA that maybe relevant in a wide range of domains.

Chronic poverty and entitlement theory

Abstract This paper examines chronic poverty in the developing country context within the entitlement theory approach. The dialogue on entitlement theory originally introduced by Sen is extended here to explore poverty and its persistence, or chronic poverty. A conceptual framework is presented, in which poverty and its persistence are explained within the context of the individuals economic and non-economic situation and development incentives. These attributes are influenced by the individuals entitlements. It is shown that poor endowments and resource base are important causes of persistent poverty. Policies aimed at reducing poverty therefore must address problems associated with improving the entitlements of individuals and households. The definition of ‘entitlements’ in the paper is not restricted to material possessions—the economic entitlements of the individual or the household—but is extended to incorporate the individuals skills, education and productive ability—the non-economic entitlements. The discussion is rooted in the increasing awareness of multidimensional poverty. The paper focuses on rural poverty in certain parts of India, where most of Indias chronic poverty is situated. Over a million people can be classified as chronically poor in terms of duration, severity and deprivation. This is despite the governments commitment to the eradication of poverty since the early 1950s, with a total expenditure of nearly

An overview of growth in the ICT sector in India: can this growth be pro-poor?

7 billion in the past 50 years.

Development Policy at a Crossroads

This paper reviews the ICT sector in India and explores the impact on rural poverty within the country. Given the early stages of its expansion, the literature on the impact of ICT on poverty reduction is at a rudimentary stage. The paper identifies issues critical to examining if ICT has implicit poverty reduction pathways. A discussion follows on who the poor are, what is their interface if any with the local ICT sector and what is meant by pro-poor growth. Possible transmission mechanisms of benefit from the ICT growth to the poor in India are then proposed.

How Does Development Policy Change (or Not)

In this chapter we set the scene. We consider the changing context for international development in terms of climate change, the rise of China et al., migration, urbanisation and so on and ask what is the current state of global development? We then review the resurgence of big ideas in the Sachs, Collier, Easterly and others’ attempts to define the ‘problem’ and the ‘solutions’.1 The chapter is structured as follows. Section 2 addresses how the context — the world — is changing. Section 3 focuses on the baseline — the state of global development. Section 4 discusses the resurgence of big ideas or meta-narratives after the Washington Consensus. Section 5 concludes with discussion of the ‘centre of gravity’ in the 3Gs or governance, growth and globalisation.

Epilogue The Global Financial Crisis, the MDGs and Global Poverty Reduction

In this chapter we ask how does development policy change (or not)? And how will it change (or not) in light of the EPICs noted in Chapter 1 and their particular impact on policy and policy processes. We begin with defining policy and policy processes. We then consider models of policy change that can inform identification of the drivers of (and resistances to) policy change via actors and networks, context and institutions and policy narratives, ideas and storylines.1 We then use this approach to assess trends in policy processes in three broad policy arenas relevant to Part II of our book — notably to growth and globalisation via global market integration, aid and public services.

ICTs and poverty reduction: user perspective study of rural Madhya Pradesh, India

As this book goes to production the global financial crisis is unfolding. We’ve heard a lot on the global financial crisis of panic in terms of banks and bankers. We’ve heard a lot about panic among policymakers and the media. Look further and a silent panic may be evolving — a pro-poor panic — that we haven’t heard much about yet. Who really suffers during a crisis — the person or family whose income falls most or the person or family whose income falls when they already live near the minimum? Policy-makers beware. Urban populations are likely to lose most in the current turbulence and the round of food riots from Latin America and Asia in 2008 in response to the food price spike may rock urban politics again.