Economics of Poverty and Inequality
In 2009, with the support of a generous donor who has chosen to remain anonymous, IIEP launched the Ultra-poverty Initiative (now the Economics of Poverty and Inequality). Since then, there have been over 50 IIEP events on poverty and human development, with many more to come. The Initiative is coordinated by James E. Foster and Stephen C. Smith with several other GW faculty participating and engaging in research and policy analysis on extreme (or ultra-) poverty in the developing world. IIEP’s initiative on the Economics of Poverty and Inequality focuses on basic and applied research, organizing conferences, collaborating with international organizations, and both technical and policy publications.
One of this initiative’s overarching themes is multidimensional measurement and analysis of poverty and poverty programs. Former IIEP Director James Foster’s influential work on multidimensional measurement provided the underpinnings of the UNDP Multidimensional Poverty Index. Professor Foster applies this work to measurement in several fields including educational quality, women’s well-being, health, nutrition, and corruption. In addition, IIEP faculty also work on the design and impact of multidimensional poverty programs, multidimensional screening of poverty program eligibility, and multidimensional poverty trap analysis. IIEP co-hosts an ongoing series on Viewing Multidimensional Poverty From Many Angles Multidimensional Poverty Seminar Series with the Oxford Poverty and Human Development Initiative (OPHI) and the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Human Development Report Office (HDRO).
The events and faculty associated with this initiative are listed below.
- Viewing Multidimensional Poverty from Many Angles
Measuring Multidimensional Poverty. A Global Assessment of Data Availability and Data Gaps
Unidimensional Underpinnings of Multidimensional Counting Measures
The many forms of poverty: Analyses of deprivation interlinkages in the developing world
Measuring Vulnerability to Multidimensional Poverty with Bayesian Network Classifiers
- Past Urbanization and Development Conferences
The Urbanization and Development Conference brings together academics, government officials, policymakers, and development practitioners to present and discuss questions relating to people, markets, cities, and more.
July 9, 2025 - 5:00 PM
ECINEQ 2025 Keynote with Daron Acemoglu
December 3, 2024 - 4:00 PM
Unidimensional underpinnings of MPI
November 26, 2024 - 4:00 PM
Global MPI 2024: Poverty amid conflict
October 15, 2024 - 4:00 PM
Global Multidimensional Poverty for Children with Disabilities: A 40 countries study
March 24, 2023 - 9:30 AM
The Future of Global Poverty Alleviation Through Social Business
March 1, 2023 - 10:00 AM
Methodological Approaches on How to Measure Risk of Poverty with Income and Wealth
November 21, 2022 - 12:00 PM
Inclusive Absolute Well-Being Changes. An Application with Multidimensional Cross-Country Analysis
November 14, 2022 - 12:00 AM
Human Development Report 2022 – Uncertain Times, Unsettled Lives. Shaping Our Future in a Transforming World
March 2, 2022 - 8:30 AM
Understanding Poverty Dynamics and the Impact of the Pandemic
February 26, 2022 - 11:00 AM
Measuring Vulnerability to Multidimensional Poverty with Bayesian Network Classifiers
February 21, 2022 - 11:00 AM
Profiling Gendered Multidimensional Poverty and Inequality in Post-Apartheid South Africa