Economics of poverty traps, Barrett, Christopher Carter, Michael Chavas, Jean-paul Carter, Michael

The research in this volume explores the hypothesis that poverty is self-reinforcing because the equilibrium behaviors of the poor perpetuate low standards of living. Contributions explore the dynamic, complex processes by which households accumulate assets and increase their productivity and earnings potential, as well as the conditions under which some individuals, groups, and economies struggle to escape poverty. Investigating the full range of phenomena that combine to generate poverty traps--gleaned from behavioral, health, and resource economics as well as the sociology, psychology, and environmental literatures--chapters in this volume also present new evidence that highlights both the insights and the limits of a poverty trap lens.