Anti-Poverty Psychology

"When one considers wealth, one must take into account how global connections related to international trading, exchanges, and currency affect the affluence of any individual on a local level. Although poverty is found globally, it is sometimes difficult to imagine how the economic decisions on one side of the world may affect the lives of an impoverished family on another side. Yet the global mechanisms that facilitate wealth and affluence also affect the lives and policy decisions around poverty. Such is the scope and focus of Stuart Carr’s book, Anti-Poverty Psychology. The book is divided into three major sections: Levels, Places, and Nexus...Among the strengths in Carr’s book are his historical analyses of psychology’s role in understanding, and sometimes perpetuating, poverty. It is difficult to imagine for somereaders, but the discipline’s role in understanding people in poverty, impoverishment, and global connections to poverty has been limited and at times denigrating to those in poverty. The book is likely written for psychologists who are engaged in antipoverty work and who are familiar with concepts related to economic inequality and poverty. Carr’s writing is dense at times, and the reader is expected to work hard to digest his arguments and propositions. This is good because he does not have the space to explain and rationalize his approach to antipoverty psychology. He writes forcefully to engage psychologists. In sum, the book is an excellent compendium of current antipoverty actions, and psychologists will find useful resources to conceptualize their own place in antipoverty work." (William Ming Liu,PsycCRITIQUES, August 28, 2013, Vol. 58, Release 35, Article 4)