Informal institutions — family and kinship structures,traditions, and social norms — not only matter for development, but they are often decisive factors in shaping policy outcomes in environments of weak states and poor governance structures. Based on concrete examples in the areas of...

This book demonstrates that in the case of very poor countries, policies aimed at universal provision of education and health services benefit the poor significantly more than more expensive targeted schemes. The book draws attention to the absolute need for coherence and co-ordination so that...

This is a book about conflict. In that, it is certainly not alone, but it approaches the problem in four Sahelian countries from the standpoint of economic analysis. The authors have not ignored social, ethnic and historical factors which led to conflict, but have identified economic realities...

When setting spending priorities in education and health, countries all too often target expensive schemes which can be shown only to benefit specific sections of the population, often the non-poor. The building of certain urban hospitals and universities may fall into this category. Wherever...