* Draws attention to the global nature of poverty and its link to conflict * Looks at poverty as a universal problelm, focusing on all nations both rich and poor * Multidisciplinary and wide-ranging, targeted for a broad audience, including NGOs, community and citizen based advocacy groups, students in international development programs and practitioners. Poverty and peace, and the relationships between them, are the central challenges for our times. Arguing that reducing poverty is not only possible, but can also build opportunities for peace, Coralie Bryant and Christina Kappaz help form the policy debate on the role of poverty reduction in international society. Oftentimes poverty is looked at only in specific countries, or is focused on developing countries. Reducing Poverty, Building Peace looks at poverty from both sides of the spectrum: domestic and global, rich and poor countries. The second half of the book focuses on what has been learned about effectiveness, especially through participatory development, and more commitment to implementation in order to gain results. This book combines a discussion of theoretical concepts with attention to policies, programs, and projects and the ways they might be designed and implemented to reduce poverty. Since there has been progress in reducing poverty, the challenge now is to learn from this experience about what works and to build political will to achieve this possible goal.

Extreme poverty exhausts institutions, depletes resources, weakens leadership, and ultimately contributes to rising insecurity and conflict. Just as poverty begets insecurity, however, the reverse is also true. As the destabilizing effects of conflict settle in, civil institutions are undermined and poverty proliferates. Breaking this nexus between poverty and conflict is one of the biggest challenges of the twenty-first century. The authors of this compelling book --some of the most experienced practitioners from around the world --investigate the complex and dynamic relationship between poverty and insecurity, exploring possible agents for change. They bring the latest lessons and intellectual framework to bear in an examination of African leadership, the private sector, and American foreign aid as vehicles for improving economic conditions and security. Contributors include Colin Kahl (University of Minnesota), Vinca LaFleur (Vinca LaFleur Communications), Edward Miguel (University of California, Berkeley), Jane Nelson (Harvard University and Brookings), Anthony Nyong (University of Jos and the International Development Research Centre, Nairobi), Susan Rice (Brookings), Robert Rotberg (Harvard University and the World Peace Foundation), Marc Sommers (Tufts University), Hendrik Urdal (International Peace Research Institute), and Jennifer Windsor (Freedom House).

About one fourth of the world's population--1.3 billion people--live in absolute poverty, while almost another third are very poor by every measure. A diverse group of participants from around the globe met at a recent Aspen Institute conference to discuss how to reduce poverty and its consequences. This book summarizes their discussions and conclusions on the role of globalization and the trend to market economies in overcoming poverty (not sufficient alone), the effectiveness of current poverty reduction programs and practices (can be improved, must be coordinated), and strategies and specific actions that can be taken alone or in partnerships by developing states, the private sector, civil society, and industrialized nations and organizations to overcome barriers to poverty reduction and bridge gaps between rich and poor. Proposing a strategy called "Market Plus;" the primary recommendations concern how the industrialized world can raise poverty on its action agenda. The book includes a speech to the conference by former President Jimmy Carter and commissioned papers by several well-known participants.

Violent conflicts today are complex and increasingly protracted, involving more nonstate groups and regional and international actors. It is estimated that by 2030—the horizon set by the international community for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals—more than half of the world’s poor will be living in countries affected by high levels of violence. Information and communication technology, population movements, and climate change are also creating shared risks that must be managed at both national and international levels. Pathways for Peace is a joint United Nations†“World Bank Group study that originates from the conviction that the international community’s attention must urgently be refocused on prevention. A scaled-up system for preventive action would save between US$5 billion and US$70 billion per year, which could be reinvested in reducing poverty and improving the well-being of populations. The study aims to improve the way in which domestic development processes interact with security, diplomacy, mediation, and other efforts to prevent conflicts from becoming violent. It stresses the importance of grievances related to exclusion—from access to power, natural resources, security and justice, for example—that are at the root of many violent conflicts today. Based on a review of cases in which prevention has been successful, the study makes recommendations for countries facing emerging risks of violent conflict as well as for the international community. Development policies and programs must be a core part of preventive efforts; when risks are high or building up, inclusive solutions through dialogue, adapted macroeconomic policies, institutional reform, and redistributive policies are required. Inclusion is key, and preventive action needs to adopt a more people-centered approach that includes mainstreaming citizen engagement. Enhancing the participation of women and youth in decision making is fundamental to sustaining peace, as well as long-term policies to address the aspirations of women and young people.

Readable, thought-provoking, and beneficial for those who want to comprehend the plight of the rural poor, Hunger and Hope examines the world of those living near, on, and over the edge of poverty in developing countries. Their aspirations, struggles, and daily challenges are revealed with compassion and genuine understanding of the risks they face to sustain themselves and their families. The text is rich with lucid and methodical observations of the economic processes that shape agricultural development in impoverished countries. The author builds in an imaginative way on his extensive experience assisting farmers and assessing the impacts of agricultural interventions. Real-world illustrations of the policies and practices that not only create opportunities and food security but also create hardships show that, while progress has been made in reducing poverty and hunger, there is a need to do more.

One-in-seven adults and one-in-five children in the United States live in poverty. Individuals and families living in povertyÊnot only lack basic, material necessities, but they are also disproportionally afflicted by many social and economic challenges. Some of these challenges include the increased possibility of an unstable home situation, inadequate education opportunities at all levels, and a high chance of crime and victimization. Given this growing social, economic, and political concern, The Hamilton Project at Brookings asked academic experts to develop policy proposals confronting the various challenges of AmericaÕs poorest citizens, and to introduce innovative approaches to addressing poverty.ÊWhen combined, the scope and impact of these proposals has the potential to vastly improve the lives of the poor. The resulting 14 policy memos are included in The Hamilton ProjectÕs Policies to Address Poverty in America. The main areas of focus include promoting early childhood development, supporting disadvantaged youth, building worker skills, and improving safety net and work support.