Integrates psychology, economics, political science, and policy design to explore ways to enact and protect poverty alleviation policies. Examines successes and failures in helping the poor through affirmative action, cash transfers, social-spending targeting, subsidies, and regional development policies in Latin America and Asia.'This book provides an eloquent and seamless synthesis of insights from psychology, sociology, political science and policy sciences to illuminate the many reasons why pro-poor policies may succeed in some settings and fail in others. It steadfastly avoids sweeping and unsupportable generalizations, instead using carefully chosen case studies to illustrate the interplay of these factors in the design, implementation and fate of common pro-poor policy instruments in developing countries. It will interest and inspire academics with a theoretical or practical bent as well as policy makers and policy shapers in governments, donor organizations and civil society. With this impressive work, Professor Ascher has done a great service to the legions of people and organizations committed to policy alleviation but frustrated by the limited success, unsustainability or abject failure of so many efforts. May it be widely read and pressed into service by these people and organizations.' David Pelletier, Cornell University
