Adaptation, Poverty and Development: The Dynamics of Subjective Well-Being(Rethinking International Development Series)

In contrast to previous attempts to examine adaptation to climate change in developing countries, the authors focus on how individuals and broader social groups adjust their aspirations, mental states, social values and behaviour as well as practices in response to changes in their personal and social circumstances. Employing a unique blend of cross-disciplinary work from economics, psychology, sociology and philosophy, this innovative book draws on quantitative and qualitative techniques. The three sections deal with conceptual issues, empirical studies and specific topics (gender, disability, migration) relating to adaptation in developing countries. It includes detailed case studies of adaptation in China, Ethiopia, India and South Africa and underlines the case for listening to the poor by suggesting that people who become worse off are less likely to lower their aspirations -- or restrict their values -- than is commonly thought by some philosophers and social scientists.

Table of Contents:
Adaptation and Development -- Issues, Evidence and Policy Relevance PART I: ADAPTATION AND DEVELOPMENT: CONCEPTS AND ISSUES Utilitarianism, 'Adaptation' and Paternalism; M.Qizilbash Adaptation: Implications for Development in Theory and Practice PART II: ADAPTATION AND DEVELOPMENT: THREE CASE STUDIES Aspirations, Adaptation and Subjective Well-Being of Rural-Urban Migrants in China; J.Knight & R.Gunatilaka A Multidimensional Analysis of Adaptation in a Developing Country Context; A.Barr Adaptation, Poverty and Subjective Well-Being: Evidence from South India; D.Neff PART III: ADAPTATION AND DEVELOPMENT: SPECIFIC ISSUES Subjective Well-being, Disability and Adaptation: A Case Study from Rural Ethiopia; M.Fafchamps & B.Kebede Adaptation of the Rural Working Class in India: A Case Study of Migrant Workers; B.Reddy & W.Olsen

About the Author :
DAVID A. CLARK Honorary Fellow and Research Associate at theBrooks World Poverty Institute of the University of Manchester, UK, and Visiting Fellow at the Centre for Analysis of Social Exclusion ofLondon School of Economics and Political Science, UK. Previous publications include The Elgar Companion to Development Studies and Visions of Development: A Study of Human Values.

Review :
'Economics is venturing into a new world previously inhabited by psychologists, the extent to which people adapt in various ways to changing circumstances. Better knowledge of adaptation is fundamental to advancing our understanding of human behavior and feelings of well-being. This volume is a welcome and valuable contribution to an important and much-neglected subject.' -- Richard A. Easterlin, Professor of Economics, University of Southern California, USA 'This book breaks new ground by bringing together theoretical and empirical perspectives on the problem of adaptation, using case studies in India, China and Africa. Clear, insightful and methodical, it will become essential reading for all those interested in the increasingly important question of how to interpret subjective measures of well-being, especially in a development context.' -- Tania Burchardt, Deputy Director, Centre for the Analysis of Social Exclusion, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK