300131 Social assistance in developing countries (Social cash transfers in the global South) (S) (WiSe 2015/2016)

In the European welfare states, social assistance typically consists of benefits in the form of cash. In the global South, however, cash-based social assistance has become widespread only since the early 2000s. Today, one or more of these social cash transfer programmes can be found in the majority of the developing and threshold countries. What “are” these relatively young programmes at the interface between social policy and development policy? What benefits do they provide for which groups of persons and on what conditions?
The seminar provides an introduction into social policy in development contexts with the example of social cash transfers. Following theoretical approaches to social assistance, the participants will study several empirical examples of social cash transfer programmes in various countries in different world regions. The seminar includes a workshop to provide insights into methodological questions and into topical research, comparing social cash transfer programmes globally.

Bibliography

Introductory readings:
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a. Scholarly readings:

- Barrientos, Armando (2013): Social Assistance in Developing Countries. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press (access via library)
- Hanlon, Joseph; Barrientos, Armando; Hulme, David (2010): Just give money to the poor. The development revolution from the global south. Sterling, Va: Kumarian Press (rather popular literature)
- Leisering, Lutz; Buhr, Petra; Traiser-Diop, Ute (2006): Soziale Grundsicherung in der Weltgesellschaft. Monetäre Mindestsicherungssysteme in den Ländern des Südens und des Nordens. Weltweiter Survey und theoretische Verortung. Bielefeld: transcript (for those who speak German)
- A similar, short version in English is: Leisering, Lutz (2008): Social Assistance in the Global South. A survey and analysis. In: Zeitschrift für ausländisches und internationales Arbeits- und Sozialrecht ZIAS 22 (1-2), S. 74–103.

b. Compilations of social cash transfer programmes by international organizations:

- Cecchini, Simone; Madariaga, Aldo (2011): Conditional cash transfer programmes. The recent experience in Latin America and the Caribbean. Santiago, Chile: United Nations, ECLAC (Cuadernos de la CEPAL, 95);
a more topical and more comprehensive version including social pensions and labour programmes is available online as a data base: http://dds.cepal.org/bdptc/en/
- Garcia, Marito; Moore, Charity M. T. (2012): The Cash Dividend. The Rise of Cash Transfer Programs in Sub-Saharan Africa. Washington, D.C: World Bank; downloadable at: http://elibrary.worldbank.org
- UNDP (2011): Sharing innovative experiences. Successful Social Protection Floor Experiences. UNDP; ILO. New York (Volume 18); available online at http://www.social-protection.org
(In addition to social cash transfers, this compilation includes other social protection programmes.)