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Delivery worker wearing a medical mask and carrying packages.
Feature: The Impact of State Paid Sick Leave Laws on Service Workers

Daniel Schneider finds that state paid sick leave laws increased service workers’ access to paid sick leave and reduced the share of service workers who worked while sick.

A family with a father, mother, and two small children walking on a dirt path.
Feature: Connecting Absolute and Relative Intergenerational Mobility

Deirdre Bloome offers two frameworks for understanding the relationship between types of intergenerational mobility, or whether people are socioeconomically better off than their parents.

Two women in rural India dressed colorfully and carrying baskets on their heads.
Feature: Studying a Government Program to Support Women’s Self-Help Groups

Michael Walton explores the interactions between state and society in rural India within a major community-based development program, finding two major tensions.

A network of computer motherboards and other parts assembled to look like a miniature city.
Feature: The Data-Informed City

Jorrit de Jong presents a comprehensive framework for how cities can use data to address problems more effectively, efficiently, equitably, and with better accountability.

Harvard Kennedy School faculty disseminate their research in working publications and papers that contribute to public knowledge and fuel policy innovation. This list features recent faculty publications, including journal articles, books, edited volumes, research papers, and public testimony.

Faculty Publications

What Is Distinctive about Religious Inequality? Challenges and Opportunities for Development Policy

Woolcock, Michael. "What Is Distinctive about Religious Inequality? Challenges and Opportunities for Development Policy." Poverty and Prejudice: Religious Inequality and the Struggle for Sustainable Development. Ed. Mariz Tadros, Philip Mader, and Kathryn Cheeseman. Bristol University Press, September 19, 2023, 171-178.

Assessing and Interpreting Complex Development Interventions: Three Key Principles and Two (Intractable?) Conundrums

Woolcock, Michael. "Assessing and Interpreting Complex Development Interventions: Three Key Principles and Two (Intractable?) Conundrums." Changing Dimensions of the International Development System: New Realities and Working Differently to Overcome Delivery Challenges. Ed. Horst Fischer, Maria Gonzales de Asis, and Anselm Schneider. Lit Verlag, 2023, 181-195.

Innovations in Translation, Advocacy, and Engagement in Global Development

Lewis, David, Dennis Rodgers, and Michael Woolcock. "Innovations in Translation, Advocacy, and Engagement in Global Development." New Mediums, Better Messages? How Innovations in Translation, Engagement and Advocacy are Changing International Development. Ed. David Lewis, Dennis Rodgers, and Michael Woolcock. Oxford University Press, 2022, 1-15.

Will It Work Here? Using Case Studies to Generate ‘Key Facts’ About Complex Development Programs

Woolcock, Michael. "Will It Work Here? Using Case Studies to Generate ‘Key Facts’ About Complex Development Programs." The Case for Case Studies: Methods and Applications in International Development. Ed. Jennifer Widner, Michael Woolcock, and Daniel Ortego Nieto. Cambridge University Press, 2022, 87-116.

Using Case Studies for Organizational Learning in Development Agencies

Glavey, Sarah, Oliver Haas, Claudio Santibanez, and Michael Woolcock. "Using Case Studies for Organizational Learning in Development Agencies." The Case for Case Studies: Methods and Applications in International Development. Ed. Jennifer Widner, Michael Woolcock, and Daniel Ortega Nieto. Cambridge University Press, 2022, 258-279.

Using Case Studies to Enhance the Quality of Explanation and Implementation

Widner, Jennifer, Michael Woolcock, and Daniel Ortega Nieto. "Using Case Studies to Enhance the Quality of Explanation and Implementation." The Case for Case Studies: Methods and Applications in International Development. Ed. Jennifer Widner, Michael Woolcock, and Daniel Ortega Nieto. Cambridge University Press, 2022, 1-26.

The Sounds of Development: Musical Representation as (An)other Source of Development Knowledge

Lewis, David, Dennis Rodgers, and Michael Woolcock. "The Sounds of Development: Musical Representation as (An)other Source of Development Knowledge." New Mediums, Better Messages?: How Innovations in Translation, Engagement, and Advocacy are Changing International Development. Ed. David Lewis, Dennis Rodgers, and Michael Woolcock. Oxford University Press, 2022, 19-41.

Fiscal Policy in Fragile Situations: Flying in Fog with Limited Instrumentation

Woolcock, Michael, and Gary Milante. "Fiscal Policy in Fragile Situations: Flying in Fog with Limited Instrumentation." Macroeconomic Policy in Fragile States. Ed. Ralph Chami, Rafael Espinoza, and Peter Montiel. Oxford University Press, 2021, 271-296.

Why Does Hirschmanian Development Remain Mired on the Margins? Because Implementation (and Reform) Really is ‘a Long Voyage of Discovery’

Woolcock, Michael. "Why Does Hirschmanian Development Remain Mired on the Margins? Because Implementation (and Reform) Really is ‘a Long Voyage of Discovery’." Second Conference on Albert Hirschman’s Legacy: A Bias for Hope. Ed. Luca Mendolesi and Nicoletta Stame. Italic Digital Editions, May 2019, 78-95.

Reasons for Using Mixed Methods in the Evaluation of Complex Projects

Woolcock, Michael. "Reasons for Using Mixed Methods in the Evaluation of Complex Projects." Contemporary Philosophy and Social Science: An Interdisciplinary Dialogue. Ed. Michiru Nagatsu and Attilia Ruzzene. Bloomsbury Academic, April 2019, 149-171.

Documenting Social and Economic Transformation in Myanmar’s Rural Communities

Woolcock, Michael, Samuel Pursch, Andrea Woodhouse, and Matt Zurstrassen. "Documenting Social and Economic Transformation in Myanmar’s Rural Communities." Myanmar Transformed? People, Places, Politics. Ed. Paul Chambers, Gerard McCarthy, Nicholas Farrelly, and Chit Win. ISEAS – Yusof Ishak Institute, October 2018, 23-51.

Alternative Approaches to Reforming the Public Sector: East Asian Experiences in Public Financial Management and Public Sector Reform

Woolcock, Michael, Sokbunthoeun So, Nicola Smithers, Leah April, and Caroline Hughes. "Alternative Approaches to Reforming the Public Sector: East Asian Experiences in Public Financial Management and Public Sector Reform." Alternative Paths to Public Financial Management and Public Sector Reform: Experiences from East Asia. Ed. Sokbunthoeun So, Michael Woolcock, Leah April, Caroline Hughes, and Nicola Smithers. World Bank, July 2018, 1-18.

Culture, Politics, and Development

Woolcock, Michael. "Culture, Politics, and Development." Oxford Handbook of the Politics of Development. Ed. Carol Lancaster and Nicholas van de Walle. Oxford University Press, June 2018, 107-122.

Culture, Politics and Development

Woolcock, Michael. "Culture, Politics and Development." Oxford Handbook of the Politics of Development. Ed. Carol Lancaster and Nicholas van de Walle. Oxford University Press, 2018.

Associations and Social Capital

van Deth, Jan W., Bob Edwards, Gabriel Badescu, Alisa Moldavanova, and Michael Woolcock. "Associations and Social Capital." Palgrave Handbook of Volunteering, Civic Participation and Nonprofit Associations. Ed. David Horton Smith, Robert A. Stebbins, and Jurgen Grotz. Palgrave Macmillan, 2017.

Social Capital, Trust and Wellbeing in the Evaluation of Wealth

Hamilton, Kirk, John F. Helliwell, and Michael Woolcock. "Social Capital, Trust and Wellbeing in the Evaluation of Wealth." National Wealth: What is Missing, Why it Matters. Ed. Kirk Hamilton and Cameron Hepburn. Oxford University Press, 2017.

Documenting Myanmar’s Social Transformation: Insights from Six Rounds of Research on Livelihoods and Social Change in Rural Communities

Pursch, Samuel James, Andrea Fitri Woodhouse, Michael Woolcock, and Matthew Pierre Zurstrassen. "Documenting Myanmar’s Social Transformation: Insights from Six Rounds of Research on Livelihoods and Social Change in Rural Communities." Myanmar Update 2017. Ed. Gerard McCarthy. Institute for South-East Asian Studies Press, 2017.

Introduction to Popular Representations of Development

Woolcock, Michael, David Lewis, and Dennis Rodgers. "Introduction to Popular Representations of Development." Popular Representations of Development: Insights from Novels, Films, Television, and Social Media. Ed. David Lewis, Dennis Rodgers, and Michael Woolcock. Routledge, 2014, 3-15.

Popular Representations of Development - Taking Stock, Moving Forward

Woolcock, Michael, David Lewis, and Dennis Rodgers. "Popular Representations of Development - Taking Stock, Moving Forward." Popular Representations of Development: Insights from Novels, Films, Television, and Social Media. Ed. David Lewis, Dennis Rodgers, and Michael Woolcock. Routledge, 2014, 243-252.

Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy.

Woolcock, Michael, and Deepa Narayan. "Social Capital: Implications for Development Theory, Research, and Policy." The Search for Empowerment: Social Capital as Idea and Practice at the World Bank. Ed. Anthony Bebbington, Michael Woolcock, Scott Guggenheim, and Elizabeth Olson. Kumarian Press, 2006, 31-62.

The Ideas/Practice Nexus in International Development Organizations: Social Capital at the World Bank.

Bebbington, Anthony, Scott Guggenheim, and Michael Woolcock. "The Ideas/Practice Nexus in International Development Organizations: Social Capital at the World Bank." The Search for Empowerment: Social Capital as Idea and Practice at the World Bank. Ed. Anthony Bebbington, Michael Woolcock, Scott Guggenheim, and Elizabeth Olson. Kumarian Press, 2006, 1-27.

Concepts: Their Contexts and Consequences.

Bebbington, Anthony, Scott Guggenheim, and Michael Woolcock. "Concepts: Their Contexts and Consequences." The Search for Empowerment: Social Capital as Idea and Practice at the World Bank. Ed. Anthony Bebbington, Michael Woolcock, Scott Guggenheim, and Elizabeth Olson. Kumarian Press, 2006, 261-287.

Empowerment and Local-Level Conflict Mediation in Indonesia.

Woolcock, Michael. "Empowerment and Local-Level Conflict Mediation in Indonesia." Empowerment in Practice: From Analysis to Implementation. Ed. Ruth Alsop, Mette Bertelsen, and Jeremy Holland. World Bank, 2006, 172-192.

Health by Association? Social Capital, Social Theory and the Political Economy of Public Health.

Woolcock, Michael, and Simon Szreter. "Health by Association? Social Capital, Social Theory and the Political Economy of Public Health." Health and Wealth: Studies in History and Policy. Ed. Simon Szreter. University of Rochester Press, 2005, 376-415.

Learning from Failures in Microfinance: What Unsuccessful Cases Tell Us About <i>How</i> Group-Based Programs Work.

Woolcock, Michael. "Learning from Failures in Microfinance: What Unsuccessful Cases Tell Us About How Group-Based Programs Work." Microfinance: An Introduction. Ed. Vijaya Agarwal and VRP Kashyap. ICFAI University Press, 2005, 62-90.

Getting the Social Relations Right: Toward an Integrated Theology and Theory of Development.

Woolcock, Michael. "Getting the Social Relations Right: Toward an Integrated Theology and Theory of Development." Globalisation and the Good. Ed. Peter Heslam. Eerdmans Publishing, 2004, 41-51.

Empowerment at the Local Level: Issues, Responses, Assessments.

Woolcock, Michael. "Empowerment at the Local Level: Issues, Responses, Assessments." Power, Rights and Poverty: Concepts and Connections. Ed. Ruth Alsop. World Bank, 2004, 111-117.