Geography
Decentring poverty, reworking government: Social movements and states in the government of poverty
Document Type
Book Chapter
Abstract
The significance of social movements for pro-poor political and social change is widely acknowledged. Poverty reduction has assumed increasing significance within development debates, discourses and programmes - how do social movement leaders and activists respond? This paper explores this question through the mapping of social movement organisations in Peru and South Africa. We conclude that for movement activists 'poverty' is rarely a central concern. Instead, they represent their actions as challenging injustice, inequality and/or development models with which they disagree, and reject the simplifying and sectoral orientation of poverty reduction interventions. In today's engagement with the poverty-reducing state, their challenge is to secure resources and influence without becoming themselves subject to, or even the subjects of, the practices of government. © 2010 Taylor & Francis.
Publication Title
The Government of Chronic Poverty
Publication Date
2011
ISBN
9781315873855
DOI
10.1080/00220388.2010.487094
Keywords
development economics, poverty alleviation, social justice, social movement, state role
Repository Citation
Bebbington, Anthony J.; Mitlin, D.; Mogaladi, J.; Scurrah, M.; and Bielich, C., "Decentring poverty, reworking government: Social movements and states in the government of poverty" (2011). Geography. 487.
https://commons.clarku.edu/faculty_geography/487