Shame of It

The shame experienced by people living in poverty has long been recognised. Nobel laureate and economist, Amartya Sen, has described shame as the "irreducible core" of poverty. However, little attention has been paid to the implications of this connection in the making and implementation of anti-poverty policies.

This important volume rectifies this critical omission and demonstrates the need to take account of the psychological consequences of poverty for policy to be effective. Drawing on pioneering empirical research in countries as diverse as Britain, Uganda, Norway, Pakistan, India, South Korea and China, it outlines core principles that can aid policy makers in policy development.

In so doing, it provides the foundation for a shift in policy learning on a global scale and bridges the traditional distinctions between North and South, and high-, middle- and low-income countries. This will help students, academics and policy makers better understand the reasons for the varying effectiveness of anti-poverty policies.

Erika K. Gubrium is an assistant professor at Oslo and Akershus University College, Norway, with experience in the use of qualitative investigative approaches in Norwegian social policy.

Sony Pellissery is an associate professor at the National Law School of India University. He is a leading authority on poverty-related research in India.

Ivar Lødemel is a professor at Oslo and Akershus University College. He has served as a consultant for the World Bank, the Council of Europe, the European Union and the OECD on minimum income policy.