Anti-Poverty Psychology

by Stuart C. Carr

Overview

Psychology has focused more on personalities in poverty — pathologizing — than on contexts for poverty reduction (Pick & Sirkin, 2010). As a result, the discipline has inadvertently sequestered and isolated itself, and its potential contribution, from poverty reduction initiatives - globally and locally. In recent years, there have been major developments in both the scope and depth of psychological research on global development issues. Some of the key developments include significant advances in understanding of what motivates teachers in schools, on designing community interventions to promote health, and on managing the development of human “capacity” in aid and development projects. The Psychology of Poverty Reduction is poised to capture such advances in the understanding of ‘what works’ - and what does not.

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781493901944
Publisher:	Springer New York
Publication date:	06/25/2015
Series:	International and Cultural Psychology
Edition description:	2013
Pages:	218
Product dimensions:	6.10(w) x 9.25(h) x (d)

About the Author

Stuart Carr is known for applying organisational psychology, with inter-related disciplines, to poverty reduction. His research ‘breaks through’ into world-class applied journals, the OECD’s “Policy Insights” and UNESCO’s “Higher Education Policy.” His books include Psychology of aid, Psychology and the developing world, Globalization and culture at work, Poverty and psychology, The Aid triangle, and The Psychology of Global Mobility. He contributed the chapter on Psychology applied to poverty in the International Association of Applied Psychology’s “Handbook of Applied Psychology.” His recent international grant awards include leading Project ADDUP, which researched dual salary systems in aid and was funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (now UK Aid) and the Economic and Social Research Council (ESRC). Stuart convenes a Global Task Force on Humanitarian Work Psychology, a White Papers Policy series for his profession globally, and the first Global Special Issue on Psychology and Poverty Reduction, involving twelve major international journals. He also co-edits the Journal of Pacific Rim Psychology, which focuses on development issues, and is Associate Editor for the Journal of Managerial Psychology, which has a focus on social innovation and change.

Table of Contents

Part I: Levels.- Personality.- Organizations.- Part II: Community.- Markets.- Media.- Part III: Nexus.- Aid.- Mobility.- Systems.

What People are Saying About This

From the Publisher

“Stuart Carr has almost single-handedly established a field of applied psychology concerned with the alleviation of poverty. He is uniquely able to work with both academics and practitioners around the world to make psychology relevant. As a consequence he knows more about the literature and problems as anybody else and he has brought his learning and wisdom together in this unique and important book. The book which is well written, up-to-date and covers a very wide canvas. This multi-disciplinary book needs to be read by academics and practitioners alike and will, I believe, become a classic in the area.” Adrian Furnham, Professor of Psychology, University College London)

"No one can claim an understanding of the causes of poverty nor an understanding of how to reduce poverty without having read “ Anti-Poverty Psychology” by Stuart Carr. And no one should dare become involved in any poverty reduction programs without having read, studied and digested this book. Professor Carr examines the complexity of poverty and its reduction without resorting to cliches, oversimplifications and the rhetoric we have all heard before. Rather he examines every strand of this complex issue from a research and scientific basis and relates it to the events we read about each day. Each strand of this complexity is examined from its beginnings to its current status invoking all aspects of psychology, sociology, anthropology, political science, business and ethics. In this process he weaves the strands together into a whole that informs us of he essential causes of poverty and the necessary elements for its reduction." (Walter Reichman, Ed.D.)  

Editorial Reviews

"When one considers wealth, one must take into account how global connections related to international trading, exchanges, and currency affect the affluence of any individual on a local level. Although poverty is found globally, it is sometimes difficult to imagine how the economic decisions on one side of the world may affect the lives of an impoverished family on another side. Yet the global mechanisms that facilitate wealth and affluence also affect the lives and policy decisions around poverty. Such is the scope and focus of Stuart Carr’s book, Anti-Poverty Psychology. The book is divided into three major sections: Levels, Places, and Nexus...Among the strengths in Carr’s book are his historical analyses of psychology’s role in understanding, and sometimes perpetuating, poverty. It is difficult to imagine for somereaders, but the discipline’s role in understanding people in poverty, impoverishment, and global connections to poverty has been limited and at times denigrating to those in poverty. The book is likely written for psychologists who are engaged in antipoverty work and who are familiar with concepts related to economic inequality and poverty. Carr’s writing is dense at times, and the reader is expected to work hard to digest his arguments and propositions. This is good because he does not have the space to explain and rationalize his approach to antipoverty psychology. He writes forcefully to engage psychologists. In sum, the book is an excellent compendium of current antipoverty actions, and psychologists will find useful resources to conceptualize their own place in antipoverty work." (William Ming Liu, PsycCRITIQUES, August 28, 2013, Vol. 58, Release 35, Article 4)

From the Publisher