Decentring Poverty, Reworking Government: Movements and States in the Government of Poverty

Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper No. 149

36 Pages Posted: 21 Dec 2009

See all articles by Anthony Bebbington

Anthony Bebbington

The University of Manchester - Institute for Development Policy and Management

Diana Mitlin

The University of Manchester - Global Development Institute

Jan Mogaladi

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Martin Scurrah

affiliation not provided to SSRN

Multiple version iconThere are 2 versions of this paper

Date Written: September 2009

Abstract

We consider how social movements in South Africa and Peru rework poverty as a domain of policy intervention. National 'mappings' of social movements reveal that 'poverty' is rarely central to movement framings challenges they address. This contrasts with government’s justification of policy in terms of impacts on 'poverty'. Movements thus seek to change the government of poverty discourses as well as the government of poverty reduction interventions. They do this through direct action, negotiation and co-production. Movements' main challenge is to make such challenges without becoming themselves subject to, or even the subjects of, these same practices of government.

Keywords: social movements, poverty, co-production, poverty discourses, policy, Peru

Suggested Citation

Bebbington, Anthony and Mitlin, Diana and Mogaladi, Jan and Scurrah, Martin, Decentring Poverty, Reworking Government: Movements and States in the Government of Poverty (September 2009). Chronic Poverty Research Centre Working Paper No. 149, Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1524758 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1524758

Anthony Bebbington (Contact Author)

The University of Manchester - Institute for Development Policy and Management ( email )

Manchester
United Kingdom

Diana Mitlin

The University of Manchester - Global Development Institute ( email )

Humanities Bridgeford Street Building
Manchester, M13 9PL
United Kingdom

Jan Mogaladi

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Martin Scurrah

affiliation not provided to SSRN ( email )

Do you have a job opening that you would like to promote on SSRN?

Paper statistics

Downloads
134
Abstract Views
882
Rank
226,217
PlumX Metrics