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Vulnerability to Poverty: A Survey

Author

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  • Daisy Das

    (Department of Economics, Northeastern Hill University)

  • Ratul Mahanta

    (Department of Economics and International Business, Sam Houston State University)

Abstract

There has been no consensus over the concept and measurement of vulnerability to poverty (VP). Many scholars bring in different perspectives to discuss various conceptual and measurement issues. This paper summarizes the available economic literature on the definitions and measurements of VP. Despite a lack of agreement, the concept of VP essentially captures the dynamic aspects of poverty, which are extremely important for formulating appropriate and effective poverty alleviation policies. This paper discusses the three basic approaches for measuring VP. Further, the data-related issues are also discussed. Then the paper reviews previous studies on the vulnerability estimation for different countries and highlights the relative importance of various shocks in determining vulnerability. Finally, the paper ends by raising a number of policy-related issues.

Suggested Citation

  • Daisy Das & Ratul Mahanta, 2015. "Vulnerability to Poverty: A Survey," Working Papers 1504, Sam Houston State University, Department of Economics and International Business.
    • Handle: RePEc:shs:wpaper:1504
    as

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    References listed on IDEAS

    as
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    2. Skoufias, Emmanuel & Quisumbing, Agnes R., 2003. "Consumption insurance and vulnerability to poverty: a synthesis of the evidence from Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Mali, Mexico, and Russia," FCND discussion papers 155, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
    3. Cesar Calvo & Stefan Dercon, 2013. "Vulnerability to individual and aggregate poverty," Social Choice and Welfare, Springer;The Society for Social Choice and Welfare, vol. 41(4), pages 721-740, October.
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    5. Albert, Jose Ramon G. & Elloso, Lilia V. & Ramos, Andre Philippe, 2007. "Toward Measuring Household Vulnerability to Income Poverty in the Philippines," Discussion Papers DP 2007-16, Philippine Institute for Development Studies.
    6. Banerjee, Abhijit V & Newman, Andrew F, 1994. "Poverty, Incentives, and Development," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(2), pages 211-215, May.
    7. Calvo, Cesar, 2008. "Vulnerability to Multidimensional Poverty: Peru, 1998-2002," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 36(6), pages 1011-1020, June.
    8. Christiaensen, Luc J.M. & Boisvert, Richard N., 2000. "On Measuring Household Food Vulnerability: Case Evidence from Northern Mali," Working Papers 127676, Cornell University, Department of Applied Economics and Management.
    9. George Clark & Susanne Moser & Samuel Ratick & Kirstin Dow & William Meyer & Srinivas Emani & Weigen Jin & Jeanne Kasperson & Roger Kasperson & Harry Schwarz, 1998. "Assessing the Vulnerability of Coastal Communities to Extreme Storms: The Case of Revere, MA., USA," Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies for Global Change, Springer, vol. 3(1), pages 59-82, January.
    10. Udry, Christopher, 1995. "Risk and Saving in Northern Nigeria," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 85(5), pages 1287-1300, December.
    11. Glewwe, Paul & Hall, Gillette, 1998. "Are some groups more vulnerable to macroeconomic shocks than others? Hypothesis tests based on panel data from Peru," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 56(1), pages 181-206, June.
    12. World Bank, 2004. "Poverty in Guatemala," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 15066, April.
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    1. Nicholas Ngepah & Tsholofelo Makgalemele & Charles Shaaba Saba, 2023. "The relationship between education and vulnerability to poverty in South Africa," Economic Change and Restructuring, Springer, vol. 56(1), pages 633-656, February.

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