Global Development and Poverty Reduction: The Challenge for International Institutions(International Institutions and Global Governance series)

At the beginning of the third millennium, underdevelopment and poverty continue to remain critical problems on a global scale. The purpose of this volume is to explore the various ways in which the institutions of the global economy might rise to the challenges posed by the twin goals of increasing the pace of global development and alleviating poverty. The expert authors provide a much-needed analysis of the successes and failures of international institutions in achieving these aims, while at the same time providing important insights into the potential future paths that they might follow. Amongst other themes, the contributors investigate the design of international institutions for raising the standard of living in the developing world in order to achieve global development and stability. They also study particular institutions such as the IMF and the WTO to assess their effect on the growth performance of developing nations. In additional chapters, the authors study institutions and regional issues such as privatization and poverty in Russia, the Asian Financial Crisis and the role of the IMF, and the development crisis in sub-Saharan Africa. This book offers a rigorous examination and informed discussion of the potential role of international institutions in the quest to alleviate poverty. Academics and professionals working in the fields of development studies, international economics and business management will welcome this stimulating book. It will also appeal to decision-makers involved in the formulation of trade, monetary and development policy.

Table of Contents:
Contents: Preface Introduction by Karl Socher Part I: General Issues: International Institutions and Poverty 1. The Role of International Institutions in Economic Development and Poverty Reduction in the Developing World 2. Designing the Role of International Institutions in Raising the Standard of Living in the Developing World 3. Global Development and Stability: The Challenge for International Institutions 4. Global Development and Industrialization 5. International Institutions and Global Inequality: Theoretical Ability and Empirical Failure 6. The Effects of IMF Lending and Freedom on the Growth Performance of Developing Countries Part II: Particular International Institutions and Poverty 7. WTO Membership: What Does it Do for Growth and Poverty? 8. Multilateral Debt Management and the Poor 9. The Role of International Institutions and the Government in Development: The Case of Croatia (Poverty and Inequality as a Consequence of the Transition Path) Part III: International Institutions and Regional Issues 10. Institutions, Integration and Poverty in Eastern Europe and the Former Soviet Union (EEFSU) 11. Privatization and Poverty: The Case of Russia 12. The 1997/98 Economic Crisis in Southeast Asia: Policy Responses and the Role of the IMF 13. Development Crisis in Sub-Saharan Africa: Globalization, Adjustment and the Roles of International Institutions Index

About the Author :
Edited by John-ren Chen, Professor of Economic Theory and Econometrics, Department of Economic Theory, Policy and History and Director, Centre for the Study of International Institutions, University of Innsbruck, Austria and David Sapsford, University of Liverpool Management School, UK

Review :
'. . . the publication of this book is both timely and relevant for those with an interest not only in global institutions but also in seeking solutions to poverty in developing countries.'