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Two Concepts of Causation: Implications for Poverty

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  • Paul Shaffer

Abstract

type="main"> This article seeks to bring to the attention of a readership in development studies a distinction in the literature on causation, and to show how it matters for poverty. The distinction is between ‘difference-making’ and ‘production’ as a depiction of the causal relationship. It is argued that the ‘difference-making/production’ distinction lies at the root of applied debates about how to assess the impact of development programmes, how to understand the causation of poverty and how to conceive of duties to eliminate or reduce poverty. Understanding such foundational differences is important in order to expose error in applied debates, to clarify the reasons for actual methodological choice, to explain conflicting research results and to shed light on the reasons for differing policy prescriptions.

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  • Paul Shaffer, 2015. "Two Concepts of Causation: Implications for Poverty," Development and Change, International Institute of Social Studies, vol. 46(1), pages 148-166, January.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:devchg:v:46:y:2015:i:1:p:148-166
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    File URL: http://hdl.handle.net/10.1111/dech.12140
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    Cited by:

    1. Thai Thi Minh & Charity Osei‐Amponsah, 2021. "Towards poor‐centred value chain for sustainable development: A conceptual framework," Sustainable Development, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 29(6), pages 1223-1236, November.
    2. Paul Shaffer, 2018. "Causal pluralism and mixed methods in the analysis of poverty dynamics," WIDER Working Paper Series 115, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    3. Paul Shaffer, 2018. "Causal pluralism and mixed methods in the analysis of poverty dynamics," WIDER Working Paper Series wp-2018-115, World Institute for Development Economic Research (UNU-WIDER).
    4. Jones, Sam & Tvedten, Inge, 2019. "What does it mean to be poor? Investigating the qualitative-quantitative divide in Mozambique," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 117(C), pages 153-166.

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