Analysis of Multidimensional Poverty: Theory and Case Studies

This book puts forward an operational methodology for measuring multidimensional poverty, independent from the conceptual origin, size and qualitative as well as quantitative nature of the primary indicators used to describe the poverty of an individual, household or socio-demographic entity. It allows for the integration of the sets of techniques already available or forthcoming in the area of income poverty into the analysis of multidimensional poverty. The core of the methodology rests on a solution to the issue of aggregation across the multiple sub-dimensions of poverty. The rationale of the proposed solution is based on the exploration of the internal structure of association between these sub-dimensions of poverty. The author illustrates the conceptual debates on the dimensions of poverty and on the measurement methodologies with empirical studies showing the strengths and weaknesses of different approaches by dividing the book into two parts. The first part, which is theoretical, develops the rationale underlying the proposed methodology with numerical examples. The second part presents two case studies, one from Vietnam and the other from Senegal, using the methodology outlined in the first part. Both case studies are based on large household surveys implemented by the different national statistical offices. The unique structure of this book makes it practical for use by poverty and policy researchers, professionals in international development, and graduate students interested in poverty and inequality.