The following topics are of an indicative nature; it is possible to combine two or more of them. You may also suggest changes or an additional topic, as long as it will reflect your understanding of the course as a whole. It is always advisable to present examples (cases, projects, policies) to illustrate and corroborate your arguments. Please think of an informative title for your essay rather than repeating the assignment. However, remember to mention the question and add an abstract.
Target length is 2,500 to 3,000 words.
It is certainly a good idea to form groups of people working on similar topics; please take the initiative yourselves, for instance using this conference. You may submit a draft to Lenka for comments (but don’t expect an answer on the same day).
1. Discuss and elaborate differences between rural and urban poverty, and their implication for policies.
2. Women and children are the most vulnerable groups among the poor. Review their specific problems, explore their vulnerability, and discuss ways to reduce it.
3. Discuss the prospects and problems of (community) participation in poverty reduction, and suggest ways of overcoming the problems.
4. Is land reform a precondition for effective rural poverty reduction?
5. Innovative approaches to tackle housing poverty are enabling, participatory and incremental rather than aiming at providing ready-made packages.
a) Are the examples discussed in the lecture ‘best practises’ for this type of policy?
b) Is an improvement of the housing situation a goal in itself, or has it to be complemented by other interventions?
6. Credit programs, like any developmental intervention, need to take the context into account. Therefore, they cannot be the same everywhere and for everyone.
a) How can micro credit programs improve their targeting on the poorest?
b) How can credit programs become tailored better to the needs of the poorest?
c) Is group lending with peer-pressure the most effective way to organize a credit program?
7. Discuss the respective strengths and weaknesses of (local) government, NGOs and other agents in poverty reduction, and suggest ways to overcome the problems and achieve convergence and concerted action.
7. ’Employment in export processing achieves the twin objectives of economic growth and gender equality.’ Using a case study of employment in export industries or agribusiness critically assess this proposition:
a) elaborating features of the value chain and examining if such employment does lead to economic growth;
b) applying a gendered poverty lens to substantiate if it does lead to gender equality.
c) In the light of your findings discuss which kinds of social protection interventions would be relevant.
8. Conditional cash transfers (CCT) have become a key instrument in reducing poverty and fostering human development. Critically assess:
a) the poverty reduction outcomes of one CCT program in a country of your choice from an intersectional perspective (i.e. paying attention to differential outcomes on the basis of gender/class/caste/ethnicity/race).
b) In the light of your findings discuss the pros and cons of CCT’s versus Unconditional Cash Transfers.
9. Anti-poverty programs are based on assumptions about the ‘poor’ and about ‘gender’. Take one anti-poverty program and critically assess:
a) these assumptions from a gendered poverty knowledge framework.
b) Using material from the case study, illustrate the outcomes of this program in relation to poverty reduction and gender equality;
c) In the light of your findings elaborate additional/alternative approaches.
10. Choose a country PRSP (excluding those discussed in the class exercise) and make a critical assessment of one of the main strategies proposed for poverty reduction from an intersectional perspective (i.e. paying attention to differential outcomes on the basis of gender/class/caste/ethnicity/race). Suggest alternatives keeping in mind the specific country context.
11. Critically assess the statement that “poverty alleviation does not address issue of inequality in a society” and provide arguments for your positioning vis-à-vis the statement. Illustrate your arguments with a case study.
Last Completed Projects
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