Livelihood and Microfinance: Anthropological and Sociological Perspectives on Savings and Debt

This volume offers a unique perspective on microfinance, an issue traditionally dominated by economists and policymakers. Drawing on the rich traditions of anthropology and sociology, Livelihood and Microfinance explores how livelihood approaches could lead to a better understanding of saving and credit behavior, and how such an understanding could help the design of finance for development. Contributors also propose new methods for better incorporating citizens into the larger economic system. Anticipating the United Nations’s Year of Microfinance in 2005, Livelihood and Microfinance is a long-awaited contribution to the international debate on the best approaches to development.