In this paper family networks affecting informal insurance and investment is being studied. Panel data from the randomized evaluation of PROGRESA in rural Mexico and the information on surnames of household heads and their spouses to identify extended families have been used. Members of an...

This paper documents how the structure of extended family networks in rural Mexico relates to the poverty and inequality of the village of residence. Using the Hispanic naming convention, within-village extended family networks in 504 poor rural villages are constructed. Family networks are...