Land Poverty And Livelihoods In An Era Of Globalization

This book brings together scholars to examine the causes of rural poverty and income inequality, as well as social exclusion and political subordination faced by rural workers in various countries. It focuses on the intersection of politics and economics and provides a critical analysis of neo-liberal land policies in the era of globalization. The book includes empirical evidence from ten countries and offers a comparative analysis of agrarian reforms and their impact on rural poverty. It also presents a potential solution for reducing rural poverty through an appropriate development strategy. The book is highly recommended for graduate students studying development economics, development studies, and international political economy.

A host of internationally eminent scholars are brought together here to explore the structural causes of rural poverty and income inequality, as well as the processes of social exclusion and political subordination encountered by the peasantry and rural workers across a wide range of countries. This volume examines the intersection of politics and economics and provides a critical analysis and framework for the study of neo-liberal land policies in the current phase of globalization. Utilizing new empirical evidence from ten countries, it provides an in-depth analysis of key country studies, a comparative analysis of agrarian reforms and their impact on rural poverty in Africa, Asia, Latin America and transition countries. Presenting an agrarian reform policy embedded in an appropriate development strategy, which is able to significantly reduce and hopefully eliminate rural poverty, this work is a key resource for postgraduate students studying in the areas of development economics, development studies and international political economy. Review: Land, Poverty and Livelihoods is very well-cited and grounded in concrete figures (the perfect source for a graduate student reading list). The introduction is incredibly thorough and didactic, carefully reviewing land reform in theory and practice around the world and over time. And the concluding chapter is an excellent analysis of the implications that the case studies presented in the book have for policy. Altogether, this book is an important source for the contemporary debate over whether and how agrarian reform might work to reduce rural poverty and inequality. Wendy Wolford, UNC Chapel Hill