scholarly journals Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Poverty Measurement, Epistemic Injustices and Social Activism

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-20
Author(s):  
Valentin Beck ◽  
Henning Hahn ◽  
Robert Lepenies
Keyword(s):  
Social Activism ◽  
Explanatory Power ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Early Career ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Global Poverty ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Normative Concepts ◽  
Poverty Measures ◽  
International Experts

AbstractAs we enter the 2020s, global poverty is still a grave and persistent problem. Alleviating and eradicating poverty within and across the world’s societies requires a thorough understanding of its nature and extent. Although economists still standardly measure absolute and relative poverty in monetary terms, a consensus is emerging that poverty is a socially relational problem involving deprivations in multiple dimensions, including health, standard of living, education and political participation. The anthology Dimensions of Poverty advances the interdisciplinary debate on multidimensional poverty, and features contributions from leading international experts and early career researchers (including from the Global South). This introductory chapter gives an overview of formative debates, central concepts and key findings. While monetary poverty measures are still dominant in public and academic debate, their explanatory power has been drawn into question. We discuss relevant criticisms before outlining the normative concepts that can inform both multidimensional poverty and monetary measures, including basic capabilities, basic needs and social primary goods. Next, we introduce several influential multidimensional poverty indices, including the Human Development Index and the Multidimensional Poverty Index. The anthology shows in detail how such measures can be improved, from a variety of disciplinary perspectives. It shows that there are different methods of poverty research that require further investigation, including participatory studies, (value) surveys, public consensus building, the constitutional approach, and financial diaries. Finally, we show that there is an ongoing problem of epistemic asymmetries in global poverty research, and discuss responsibility for addressing poverty, including the responsibilities of academics. The remainder of the chapter is dedicated to a more detailed preview of the volume’s 20 contributions, which are assembled along the following five themes: (I) poverty as a social relation; (II) epistemic injustices in poverty research; (III) the social context of poverty; (IV) measuring multidimensional poverty; and (V) country cases.

scholarly journals Measuring Vulnerability to Multidimensional Poverty

2019 ◽  
Vol 148 (1) ◽  
pp. 67-103 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mauricio Gallardo
Keyword(s):  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Risk Behaviour ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Multidimensional Space ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Cross Sectional ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Vulnerability Indicators ◽  
Vulnerability To Poverty

Abstract A method to measure vulnerability to multidimensional poverty is proposed under a mean–risk behaviour approach. We extend the unidimensional downside mean–semideviation measurement of vulnerability to poverty towards the multidimensional space by incorporating this approach into Alkire and Foster’s multidimensional counting framework. The new approach is called the vulnerability to multidimensional poverty index (VMPI), alluding to the fact that it can be used to assess vulnerability to poverty measured by the multidimensional poverty index (MPI). The proposed family of vulnerability indicators can be estimated using cross-sectional data and can include both binary and metric welfare indicators. It is flexible enough to be applied for measuring vulnerability in a wide range of MPI designs, including the Global MPI. An empirical application of the VMPI and its related indicators is illustrated using the official MPI of Chile as the reference poverty measurement. The estimates are performed using the National Socioeconomic Characterisation Survey (CASEN) for the year 2017.

scholarly journals Measuring Multidimensional Poverty and Inequality in Pakistan

2015 ◽  
Vol 54 (4I-II) ◽  
pp. 685-698 ◽  
Author(s):  
Maqbool H. Sial ◽  
Asma Noreen ◽  
Rehmat Ullah Awan
Keyword(s):  
Development Policy ◽  
Poverty Alleviation ◽  
Recent Literature ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Economic Problems ◽  
Poverty Measures ◽  
Poverty And Inequality ◽  
Development Objective ◽  
Multidimensional Concept

The key development objective of Pakistan, since its existence, has been to reduce poverty, inequality and to improve the condition of its people. While this goal seems very important in itself yet is also necessary for the eradication of other social, political and economic problems. The objective to eradicate poverty has remained same but methodology to analysing this has changed. It can be said that failure of most of the poverty strategies is due to lack of clear choice of poverty definition. A sound development policy including poverty alleviation hinges upon accurate and well-defined measurements of multidimensional socio-economic characteristics which reflect the ground realities confronting the poor and down trodden rather than using some abstract/income based criteria for poverty measurement. Conventionally welfare has generally been measured using income or expenditures criteria. Similarly, in Pakistan poverty has been measured mostly in uni-dimension, income or expenditures variables. However, recent literature on poverty has pointed out some drawbacks in measuring uni-dimensional poverty in terms of money. It is argued that uni-dimensional poverty measures are insufficient to understand the wellbeing of individuals. Poverty is a multidimensional concept rather than a unidimensional. Uni-dimensional poverty is unable to capture a true picture of poverty because poverty is more than income deprivation

scholarly journals Including services in multidimensional poverty measurement for SDGs: modifications to the consensual approach

2020 ◽  
Vol 28 (2) ◽  
pp. 149-168
Author(s):  
Alba Lanau ◽  
Joanna Mack ◽  
Shailen Nandy
Keyword(s):  
Service Provision ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Access To Services ◽  
Household Resources ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Poverty Measures ◽  
Nuanced Understanding ◽  
Context Specific ◽  
Consensual Approach

Poor households disproportionately lack access to services, yet this is rarely considered in poverty measures. Service provision can vary significantly between and within countries, and so similar levels of household resources may translate to very different living standards. Where universal provision of basic services is lacking, current approaches to poverty measurement may result in underestimates, thereby raising comparability and identification issues. We propose a conceptual framework to incorporate service provision into multidimensional poverty measures, based on a modification to the consensual approach. The modification would create improved context-specific poverty measures, enabling a more nuanced understanding about effective access to services.

scholarly journals Monetary and Multidimensional Poverty of the Tea Garden Labour Community of Dibrugarh District of Assam, India

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 3759-3764
Keyword(s):  
Rural Poverty ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Primary Survey ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Poverty Measures ◽  
Tea Garden

This paper aims at measuring the level of both monetary poverty and multidimensional poverty of the tea garden labour community of the Dibrugarh district of Assam. The paper also aims at comparing the monetary poverty and multidimensional poverty of the tea garden labour community of the Dibrugarh district of Assam. The present study is mainly a primary survey based study. Monetary poverty is measured on the basis of the official state specific rural poverty line and using Foster-Greer-Thorbecke class of poverty indices. Multidimensional poverty is measured using Alkaire-Foster methodology. Then for comparing monetary and multidimensional poverty the study used the simple cross tables. The findings of the study show that monetary poverty headcount ratio of the sample tea garden labour community is 48.89 percent. The value of the multidimensional poverty index declines with higher multidimensional poverty cutoffs. The comparison of the monetary and multidimensional poverty shows that for all the three multidimensional poverty cutoffs the similarity between the two poverty measures is higher than the mismatch between them

scholarly journals Multidimensional Deprivation Spectrum: A Step Forward from Alkire–Foster Methodology

2019 ◽  
Vol 13 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-12
Author(s):  
Taseer Salahuddin ◽  
Alia Ahmed
Keyword(s):  
Social Stigma ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Working Paper ◽  
Units Of Analysis ◽  
Poverty Measures ◽  
Multidimensional Deprivation ◽  
Current Article ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
Labelling Theory

Income-based poverty and multidimensional poverty are two major paradigms currently in use to define and measure poverty. Both these paradigms, however, take individuals as units of analysis and classify them on the basis of certain poverty lines and cut-offs as poor and non-poor. Social stigma and labelling theory suggest that the label of poverty negatively impacts the self-esteem of people or contributes to the tendencies of paternalistic dependency among them. This article suggests that poverty should be measured using dimensions of life as units of analysis. In this direction, it offers a variant of the Alkire and Foster (Counting and multidimensional poverty measures, OPHI Working Paper No. 7, Oxford Poverty & Human Development Initiative, 2007) multidimensional poverty index in the form of a multidimensional deprivation spectrum. Along with using different dimensions as units of analysis, the current article presents a whole spectrum of indices built to measure inequality for a more nuanced picture.

scholarly journals Leaving No One Behind: An Individual-Level Approach to Measuring Multidimensional Poverty in Botswana

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Khaufelo Raymond Lekobane
Keyword(s):  
Empirical Studies ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Poverty Measure ◽  
Unit Of Analysis ◽  
Household Level ◽  
Individual Level ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Measurement ◽  
Poverty Levels

AbstractThe Leave No One Behind principle is at the core of the 2030 Agenda for sustainable development and acknowledges that poverty is multidimensional and should be examined at individual level. Notwithstanding this, most empirical studies use the household as the unit of analysis for multidimensional poverty measurement. However, estimation of poverty levels at household-level underestimates poverty levels of the society and does not capture intra-household inequalities. The objective of this study is two-fold: (1) developing a country-specific individual-level multidimensional poverty measure; and (2) providing estimates of multidimensional poverty for Botswana. This study contributes to the limited literature on individual-level multidimensional poverty measurement. Empirically, this study offers the first attempt to estimate a nationally relevant and context-specific multidimensional poverty index for Botswana using the individual as a unit of analysis. The results reveal that an estimated 46.2% of individuals are considered multidimensionally poor based on individual-level analysis. This figure is higher than the household-level estimate of 36.5%, which indicates that using the household as a unit of analysis leads to underestimating poverty levels in the society. The results show that on average, the multidimensionally poor are deprived in 47.4% of all indicators under consideration. This finding indicates that multidimensional poverty intensity is also a considerable concern in Botswana. These findings warrant policy interventions.

scholarly journals New multidimensional approaches to poverty measurement in Bosnia and Herzegovina

2017 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Adela Delalić ◽  
Rabija Somun-Kapetanović ◽  
Emina Resić
Keyword(s):  
Bosnia And Herzegovina ◽  
Durable Goods ◽  
Poverty Reduction ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Housing Quality ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Poverty Measures ◽  
Reduction Strategies ◽  
Poverty Indicators

AbstractUnlike the standard unidimensional poverty indices, based mostly on monetary poverty measures, multidimensional poverty indices may include numerous non-monetary poverty indicators. This study utilized fuzzy and Alkire – Foster (AF) and fuzzy methodology to assess the poverty level in Bosnia and Herzegovina (B&H) and to compare the results with official poverty assessments. In addition to consumption as a monetary measure, we constructed AF and fuzzy indices by including numerous non-monetary measures that indicate housing quality, possession of durable goods and the household structure. AF multidimensional indices for B&H are calculated based on data from Household Budget Surveys (2004, 2007 and 2011) and fuzzy poverty indices are calculated based on data from HBS 2011. This research has found the differences in the values, direction and dynamics between unidimensional and multidimensional approaches to poverty measurement. Authors state that it is not sufficient to base the creation of more efficient social policies and poverty reduction strategies exclusively on unidimensional indices that address just one dimension of poverty.

scholarly journals Accounting for drinking water quality in measuring multidimensional poverty in Ethiopia

PLoS ONE ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. e0243921
Author(s):  
Alemayehu Azeze Ambel ◽  
Harriet Kasidi Mugera ◽  
Robert E. S. Bain
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Drinking Water ◽  
Rural Areas ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Water Source ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Poverty Level ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index

The Multidimensional Poverty Index is used increasingly to measure poverty in developing countries. The index is constructed using selected indicators that cover health, education, and living standards dimensions. The accuracy of this tool, however, depends on how each indicator is measured. This study explores the effect of accounting for water quality in multidimensional poverty measurement. Access to drinking water is traditionally measured by water source types. The study uses a more comprehensive measure, access to safely managed drinking water services, which are free from E. coli contamination, available when needed and accessible on premises in line with Sustainable Development Goal target 6.1. The study finds that the new measure increases national multidimensional headcount poverty by 5–13 percentage points, which would mean that 5–13 million more people are multidimensionally poor. It also increases the poverty level in urban areas to a greater extent than in rural areas. The finding is robust to changes in water contamination risk levels and Multidimensional Poverty Index aggregation approaches and weighting structures.

scholarly journals Assessing Refugee Poverty Using Capabilities Versus Commodities: The Case of Afghans in Iran

2018 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 853-873 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mitra Naseh ◽  
Miriam Potocky ◽  
Shanna L. Burke ◽  
Paul H. Stuart
Keyword(s):  
Multidimensional Poverty ◽  
Poverty Line ◽  
Poverty Measurement ◽  
Poverty Index ◽  
Policy Makers ◽  
Multidimensional Poverty Index ◽  
Afghan Refugees ◽  
Poor Households ◽  
Standards Of Living ◽  
Using Data

This study is among the first to calculate poverty among one of the world’s largest refugee populations, Afghans in Iran. More importantly, it is one of the first to use capability and monetary approaches to provide a comprehensive perspective on Afghan refugees’ poverty. We estimated poverty using data collected from a sample of 2,034 refugee households in 2011 in Iran. We utilized basic needs poverty lines and the World Bank’s absolute international poverty line for our monetary poverty analyses and the global Multidimensional Poverty Index (MPI) for our capability analyses of poverty. Findings show that nearly half of the Afghan households were income-poor, approximately two percent of the households had less than USD 1.25 per person per day, and about 28% of the surveyed households were multidimensionally deprived. Results suggest that 60% of the income-poor households were not deprived from minimal education, health, and standards of living based on the MPI criteria, and about 32% of the multidimensionally deprived households were not income-poor. These findings call for more attention to poverty measurement methods, specifically for social workers and policy makers in the field, to gain a more realistic understanding about refugees’ wellbeing.

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