Financialising Poverty: The Transnational Political Economy of Microfinance’s Rise and Crises

Figures Text Boxes Abbreviations Acknowledgments 1. Introduction A. Topic and research question B. What we know (and don’t know) about microfinance C. Terms D. Structure of the dissertation 2. A Transnational Institutional History of Microfinance A. Introduction B. 1900s-1970s: Origins of microfinance in South Asia - a pre-history C. 1970s-1990s: The stellar rise of microfinance under neoliberalism D. 1997-2006: Pop microfinance E. The new century: growth toward crisis F. Conclusion 3. What is Financialisation? A. Introduction B. Situating financialisation C. Five facets of financialisation: a literature review D. Conclusion: A working understanding of financialisation 4. The Meaning of Money and Debt A. Introduction B. The classics’ troubles C. One money, different monies? D. Credit’s assertions and antinomies E. Conclusion: Money, credit and microfinance 5. The Financialisation of Poverty A. Introduction B. Mobilising narratives C. Financialised governmentalities D. The material of financialisation E. Conclusion 6. Financialising Public Goods A. Introduction B. The neglected politics of water and sanitation C. Microfinance for water and sanitation: the mobilising narrative D. Problematic goods theory: characterising a fluid resource E. Conclusion 7. Limits to Financialisation: Case Studies A. Introduction B. The impacts and limits of watsan microfinance C. The unlikely agents of financialisation D. Conclusion 8. Portrait of a Microfinance Crisis, India 2010 A. Introduction B. Indian microfinance 2000-2010: Warnings ignored C. Andhra Pradesh 2010: from euphoria to horror in three months D. Interpreting the Andhra Crisis E. Conclusion 9. Conclusion A. Recapitulating B. Findings C. Implications for policy D. Looking ahead Appendixes A. Calculation of surplus extraction (MFI income) through microfinance B. Details of interviews C. Memorandum of Understanding with “SmartBit” Reference