The multiple meanings of prosperity and poverty: a cross-site comparison from Tanzania

Howland, Olivia; Noe, Christine; Brockington, Dan

Abstract

Assets are important to local definitions of poverty and wealth in rural Africa. Yet their use in asset indices can miss locally valued change. We present data from 17 villages across Tanzania to explore differences in the meaning of wealth and poverty across the country. Despite limitations in our site selection we found considerable diversity that makes a single asset index difficult to compile. Current abbreviated asset indices risk counting assets that do not matter locally.

Citation

Howland, O., Noe, C., & Brockington, D. (2021). The multiple meanings of prosperity and poverty: a cross-site comparison from Tanzania. Journal of Peasant Studies, 48(1), 180-200. https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2019.1658080

• Journal Article Type: Article
• Acceptance Date: Nov 4, 2019
• Online Publication Date: Nov 4, 2019
• Publication Date: Jan 2, 2021
• Deposit Date: Jan 8, 2023
• Publicly Available Date: Jan 9, 2023
• Journal: Journal of Peasant Studies
• Print ISSN: 0306-6150
• Electronic ISSN: 1743-9361
• Publisher: Routledge
• Peer Reviewed: Peer Reviewed
• Volume: 48
• Issue: 1
• Pages: 180-200
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2019.1658080
• Public URL: https://nottingham-repository.worktribe.com/output/15718692
• Publisher URL: https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/03066150.2019.1658080