IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/pal/eurjdr/v33y2021i1d10.1057_s41287-020-00300-0.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Human Capital Theory and the Defectology of Aspirations in Policy Research on Rural Youth

Author

Listed:
  • Ben White

    (Emeritus International Institute of Social Studies)

Abstract

This article turns a sceptical eye on policy studies of youth aspirations, and specifically the reported aspirations of the world’s rural youth for mobility from farming to non-farming, and rural to non-rural futures. Four large-scale multi-country studies on young people’s aspirations are reviewed, and compared with the findings of more detailed, in-depth, local studies. Aspirations, it is argued, are viewed (and researched) much too simplistically in the policy world. Examples from many parts of the world suggest a need for caution about prevailing narratives that ‘rural youth today are not interested in farming futures’. They underline the importance of a life-course and generational perspective on young people’s aspirations and their mobility out of, and perhaps later back into, farming.

Suggested Citation

  • Ben White, 2021. "Human Capital Theory and the Defectology of Aspirations in Policy Research on Rural Youth," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(1), pages 54-70, February.
    • Handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:33:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-020-00300-0
    DOI: 10.1057/s41287-020-00300-0
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://link.springer.com/10.1057/s41287-020-00300-0
    File Function: Abstract
    Download Restriction: Access to full text is restricted to subscribers.
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1057/s41287-020-00300-0?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to search for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Fox, Louise, 2019. "IFAD RESEARCH SERIES 46 Economic participation of rural youth: what matters?," IFAD Research Series 300928, International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD).
    2. World Bank, 2019. "World Development Report 2019 [Rapport sur le développement dans le monde 2019]," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 30435, December.
    3. Fox,Louise & Kaul,Upaasna, 2018. "The evidence is in : how should youth employment programs in low-income countries be designed ?," Policy Research Working Paper Series 8500, The World Bank.
    4. Elias, Marlene & Mudege, Natsayi & Lopez, Diana E. & Najjar, Dina & Kandiwa, Vongai & Luis, Joyce & Yila, Jummai & Tegbaru, Amare & Ibrahim, Gaya & Badstue, Lone & Njuguna-Mungai, Esther & Bentabu, Ab, 2018. "Gendered aspirations and occupations among rural youth, in agriculture and beyond: A cross-regional perspective," Journal of Gender, Agriculture and Food Security (Agri-Gender), Africa Centre for Gender, Social Research and Impact Assessment, vol. 3(1), September.
    5. Lidewyde Berckmoes & Ben White, 2014. "Youth, Farming and Precarity in Rural Burundi," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 26(2), pages 190-203, April.
    6. Gary S. Becker, 1964. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, First Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck-5, March.
    7. Lowder, Sarah K. & Skoet, Jakob & Raney, Terri, 2016. "The Number, Size, and Distribution of Farms, Smallholder Farms, and Family Farms Worldwide," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 87(C), pages 16-29.
    8. Gary S. Becker, 1994. "Human Capital: A Theoretical and Empirical Analysis with Special Reference to Education, Third Edition," NBER Books, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc, number beck94-1, March.
    9. Blessings Chinsinga & Michael Chasukwa, 2012. "Youth, Agriculture and Land Grabs in Malawi," IDS Bulletin, Blackwell Publishing, vol. 43(6), pages 67-77, November.
    10. Roy Huijsmans, 2013. "‘Doing Gendered Age’: older mothers and migrant daughters negotiating care work in rural Lao PDR and Thailand," Third World Quarterly, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 34(10), pages 1896-1910, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Kai Mausch & Dave Harris & Javier Revilla Diez, 2021. "Rural Aspirations: Reflections for Development Planning, Design and Localized Effects," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(4), pages 795-808, August.
    2. Roy Huijsmans & Aprilia Ambarwati & Charina Chazali & M. Vijayabaskar, 2021. "Farming, Gender and Aspirations Across Young People’s Life Course: Attempting to Keep Things Open While Becoming a Farmer," The European Journal of Development Research, Palgrave Macmillan;European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), vol. 33(1), pages 71-88, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Eva‐Maria Egger & Aslihan Arslan & Emanuele Zucchini, 2022. "Does connectivity reduce gender gaps in off‐farm employment? Evidence from 12 low‐ and middle‐income countries," Applied Economic Perspectives and Policy, John Wiley & Sons, vol. 44(1), pages 197-218, March.
    2. Aribah Aslam, 2020. "The hotly debate of human capital and economic growth: why institutions may matter?," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 54(4), pages 1351-1362, August.
    3. James Sumberg & Louise Fox & Justin Flynn & Philip Mader & Marjoke Oosterom, 2021. "Africa’s “youth employment” crisis is actually a “missing jobs” crisis," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 39(4), pages 621-643, July.
    4. Marina Dabić & Jane Maley & Leo-Paul Dana & Ivan Novak & Massimiliano M. Pellegrini & Andrea Caputo, 2020. "Pathways of SME internationalization: a bibliometric and systematic review," Small Business Economics, Springer, vol. 55(3), pages 705-725, October.
    5. Eleni Giouli & Pisinas Yorgos & Anna-Maria Kanzola, 2021. "Human Capital and Production Structure: Evidence from Greece," European Journal of Economics and Business Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 7, January -.
    6. Laura Leker & Gregory Ponthiere, 2015. "Education, life expectancy and family bargaining: the Ben-Porath effect revisited," Education Economics, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 23(4), pages 481-513, August.
    7. Fiona Carmichael & Christian K. Darko & Nicholas Vasilakos, 2022. "Well‐being and employment of young people in Ethiopia, India, Peru and Vietnam: Is work enough?," Development Policy Review, Overseas Development Institute, vol. 40(2), March.
    8. Mohamed Salem Ahmed Ibrahim Alhosani & Kamarul Bahari Yaakub, 2021. "Investigating the Relationship Between Total Quality Management and Primary School Academic Performance with Innovation as a Mediator Using SEM," European Journal of Economics and Business Studies Articles, Revistia Research and Publishing, vol. 7, January -.
    9. Marjan Entekhabi, 2023. "Human Capital in Developing Countries: Common Challenges and the Path Forward," Journal of Emerging Trends in Marketing and Management, The Bucharest University of Economic Studies, vol. 1(2), pages 18-29, July.
    10. Patel, Leila & Graham, Lauren & Chowa, Gina, 2020. "Evidence of non-economic indicators as markers of success for youth in youth employability programs: Insights from a South African study," Children and Youth Services Review, Elsevier, vol. 118(C).
    11. Moreda, Tsegaye, 2023. "The social dynamics of access to land, livelihoods and the rural youth in an era of rapid rural change: Evidence from Ethiopia," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 128(C).
    12. Dyah S. Pritadrajati & Anggita C. M. Kusuma & Sweta C. Saxena, 2020. "A Non-Healing Wound: Lasting Consequences Of Unemployment And Informal Self-Employment: An Empirical Evidence From Indonesia," Working Papers WP/09/2020, Bank Indonesia.
    13. Christiaensen,Luc & Rutledge,Zachariah Judson & Taylor,J. Edward, 2020. "The Future of Work in Agriculture : Some Reflections," Policy Research Working Paper Series 9193, The World Bank.
    14. Pierre Nguimkeu & Cedric Okou, 2021. "Leveraging digital technologies to boost productivity in the informal sector in Sub‐Saharan Africa," Review of Policy Research, Policy Studies Organization, vol. 38(6), pages 707-731, November.
    15. Robin Henager & Sophia T. Anong & Joyce Serido & Soyeon Shim, 2021. "Does Financial Satisfaction Vary Depending on the Funding Strategy Used to Pay for College?," Journal of Family and Economic Issues, Springer, vol. 42(3), pages 429-448, September.
    16. Grace Muthoni Mwaura, 2017. "Just Farming? Neoliberal Subjectivities and Agricultural Livelihoods among Educated Youth in Kenya," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 48(6), pages 1310-1335, November.
    17. BOLARINWA Taiwo Agosu, 2023. "Effect Of Formal Education On Poverty Reduction In Nigeria," Management of Sustainable Development, Lucian Blaga University of Sibiu, Faculty of Economic Sciences, vol. 15(2), pages 73-79, December.
    18. Marcin Pawel Jarzebski & Abubakari Ahmed & Yaw Agyeman Boafo & Boubacar Siddighi Balde & Linda Chinangwa & Osamu Saito & Graham Maltitz & Alexandros Gasparatos, 2020. "Food security impacts of industrial crop production in sub-Saharan Africa: a systematic review of the impact mechanisms," Food Security: The Science, Sociology and Economics of Food Production and Access to Food, Springer;The International Society for Plant Pathology, vol. 12(1), pages 105-135, February.
    19. Damian Grimshaw & Marcela Miozzo, 2021. "Human Capital and productivity: a call for new interdisciplinary research," Working Papers 006, The Productivity Institute.
    20. Pritadrajati, Dyah S. & Kusuma, Anggita C.M. & Saxena, Sweta C., 2021. "Scarred for life: Lasting consequences of unemployment and informal self-employment," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 70(C), pages 206-219.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:pal:eurjdr:v:33:y:2021:i:1:d:10.1057_s41287-020-00300-0. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Sonal Shukla or Springer Nature Abstracting and Indexing (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.palgrave-journals.com/ .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.