“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 2013th Edition. 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)
“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.)
From the Back Cover
Reducing poverty, whether globally or locally, has always comprised a set of complex critical tasks. But just as essential as the tasks is their underlying worldview: where formerly the emphasis was on changing institutions and thus changing people, the movement now is away from paternalistic remedies and toward culturally aware organizations and efforts to develop the untapped resources of people and their communities.
Anti-Poverty Psychology 2013th Edition traces the evolution of conceptualizations of poverty and its solutions, forcefully arguing for a higher level of current and future efforts. This visionary volume provides readers with a clear roadmap from goals (e.g., the Millennium Development Goals) to implementation that neither shames nor objectifies those being served. The author demonstrates how, in both research and the real world, progress is best achieved through systematic, cross-disciplinary, multi-perspective collaboration, alignment with local values, and greater accountability on the part of all involved. Coverage balances macro, meso and micro levels of analysis in such areas as:
- Constructs of personality: beyond mythmaking and pathologizing.
- Building the socially responsible organization.
- The role of community in self-empowerment.
- Harnessing the potential of markets in poverty reduction.
- Minting media social capital
- The hidden psychology of international aid.
- Mobilizing human talent locally
- Developing research advocacy and its component skills.
The perspective-widening stance and depth of insight found in Anti-Poverty Psychology gives it significance to audiences across disciplines, as in psychologists researching global development issues, academics interested in learning what motivates educators, community psychologists, and health professionals.
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.
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