Oxfam’s head of research, Duncan Green, has published a new book called From Poverty to Power (and Duncan’s started a blog, too, which is definitely worth bookmarking). It’s an official Oxfam publication, and is effectively their state of the world report for the next decade thereabouts.
The whole book’s deeply thoughtful, and rests on a massive body of research, but I especially like two of its core themes. One is emphasis on resource scarcity as a central feature on the development landscape. For Duncan, the gap between haves and have-nots isn’t just about wealth; it’s also over “technology, water, soil and carbon” (see also his excellent Guardian op-ed from a couple of weeks ago).
The other strand that appeals to me is the emphasis not only on effective states (where Matthew Lockwood’s work remains a core reference point for me), but also active citizenship. Particularly strong here is the book’s Annex on How Change Happens, which everyone interested in campaigning should read (immediately).
