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Matching Concepts With Measurement: Who Belongs to Africa's Middle Class?

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  • James Thurlow
  • Danielle Resnick
  • Dumebi Ubogu

Abstract

This paper advocates for a conceptualization of the African middle class that would be universally valid: security from economic vulnerability and prospects for social mobility. We suggest three minimum criteria that are jointly necessary and sufficient to reflect this conceptualization: secondary schooling completion, decent housing amenities and skilled employment. Using household surveys for nine African countries, we then demonstrate how measures of the middle class based on expenditure thresholds refer to households with vastly different abilities to meet these three criteria. This cautions against overreliance on expenditure‐based definitions, which may obscure qualitative differences among the middle class across African countries. © 2015 The Authors. Journal of International Development published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Suggested Citation

  • James Thurlow & Danielle Resnick & Dumebi Ubogu, 2015. "Matching Concepts With Measurement: Who Belongs to Africa's Middle Class?," Journal of International Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 27(5), pages 588-608, July.
    • Handle: RePEc:wly:jintdv:v:27:y:2015:i:5:p:588-608
    DOI: 10.1002/jid.3105
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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Simplice A. Asongu, 2015. "Growth and Institutions in African Development by Augustin K. Fosu," Research Africa Network Working Papers 15/033, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    2. Simplice Asongu & Joseph Nnanna, 2020. "Inclusive human development in sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Enterprising Communities: People and Places in the Global Economy, Emerald Group Publishing Limited, vol. 14(2), pages 183-200, May.
    3. Simplice A Asongu & Sara Le Roux, 2019. "Understanding Sub-Saharan Africa’s Extreme Poverty Tragedy," International Journal of Public Administration, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 42(6), pages 457-467, April.
    4. Simplice A. Asongu & Nicholas M. Odhiambo, 2021. "Income Levels, Governance and Inclusive Human Development in Sub-Saharan Africa," Applied Research in Quality of Life, Springer;International Society for Quality-of-Life Studies, vol. 16(1), pages 71-103, February.
    5. Simplice A. Asongu & Samba Diop, 2022. "Bribing to escape poverty in Africa," Working Papers 22/090, European Xtramile Centre of African Studies (EXCAS).
    6. Jean-Philippe BERROU & Dominique DARBON & Anne BEKELYNCK & Christian BOUQUET & Matthieu CLEMENT & François COMBARNOUS & Éric ROUGIER, 2018. "Le réveil des classes moyennes ivoiriennes ? Identification, caractérisation et implications pour les politiques publiques," Working Paper 6e6633ec-f96a-4f9f-a240-7, Agence française de développement.
    7. Jean-Philippe Berrou & Matthieu Clément & François Combarnous & Dominique Darbon & Yves-André Faure & Eric Rougier, 2019. "L’essor des classes moyennes dans les pays en développement et émergents : une étude comparative des enjeux d’identification, de caractérisation et de politiques publiques," Working Papers hal-02147531, HAL.
    8. Simplice A. Asongu & Sara le Roux, 2018. "Understanding Sub-Saharan Africa’s Extreme Poverty Tragedy," Research Africa Network Working Papers 18/012, Research Africa Network (RAN).
    9. Jean-Philippe Berrou & Dominique Darbon & Christian Bouquet & Anne Bekelynck & Matthieu Clément & François Combarnous & Eric Rougier, 2018. "Le réveil des classes moyennes ivoiriennes ? Identification, caractérisation et implications pour les politiques publiques," Post-Print hal-02147840, HAL.
    10. Nnamdi Ifeanyi Maduekwe & Olufunmilayo O. Banjo & Mike O. Sangodapo, 2017. "The Nigerian Civil Registration and Vital Statistics System: Contexts, Institutions, Operation," Social Indicators Research: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal for Quality-of-Life Measurement, Springer, vol. 134(2), pages 651-674, November.

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