Reading Development

Random readings on society, politics and change – Jorge Carrillo

A poor means test?

Proxy-means tests (PMTs) are popular for poverty-targeting with imperfect information. In a widely-used version, a regression for log consumption calibrates a PMT score based on covariates, which is then implemented … Continue reading

Sunday, 27 May 2018 · Leave a comment

Guaranteed Employment or Guaranteed Income?

The paper critically reviews the arguments for and against both employment guarantees and income guarantees when viewed as rights-based policy instruments for poverty reduction in a developing economy, with special … Continue reading

Tuesday, 1 May 2018 · Leave a comment

Know Your City: Slum Dwellers Count

In February 2018, Slum Dwellers International (SDI) launched a landmark publication titled “Know Your City: Slum Dwellers Count,” showcasing the extraordinary contribution of the Know Your City (KYC) campaign to … Continue reading

Thursday, 26 April 2018 · Leave a comment

A good life for all within planetary boundaries

Humanity faces the challenge of how to achieve a high quality of life for over 7 billion people without destabilizing critical planetary processes. Using indicators designed to measure a ‘safe … Continue reading

Thursday, 8 February 2018 · Leave a comment

East Asia and Pacific Cities : Expanding Opportunities for the Urban Poor

Urbanization in East Asia and the Pacific has created enormous opportunity for many. Yet the rapid growth of cities can also create challenges as national and local governments try to … Continue reading

Wednesday, 4 October 2017 · Leave a comment

Beyond the Tyranny of Averages: Development Progress from the Bottom Up

Relying on averages is worsening inequality within countries. A new AidData report looks at whether aid financing reaches the poorest regions and finds that donors are missing the mark…policymakers often … Continue reading

Saturday, 30 September 2017 · Leave a comment

Aiming at the Wrong Targets: The Domestic Consequences of International Efforts to Build Institutions

Buntaine et al – We explain why international development organizations have had so little success building and reforming public sector institutions in developing countries. They often fail despite their apparently … Continue reading

Tuesday, 19 September 2017 · Leave a comment

Measuring poverty and wellbeing in developing countries

Detailed analyses of poverty and wellbeing in developing countries, based on household surveys, have been ongoing for more than three decades. The large majority of developing countries now regularly conduct … Continue reading

Tuesday, 5 September 2017 · Leave a comment

The Production of Space and Governmentality in the Urban Poor’s Claim over Land and Housing

This article explores the politicized process of claiming urban land for housing the urban poor in the metropolitan city of Bengaluru. It is premised on the recognition that space and … Continue reading

Saturday, 17 June 2017 · Leave a comment