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Indebted to Development : Microcredit as (De)marginalisation in Rural China

Loubere, Nicholas LU orcid (2018) In Journal of Peasant Studies 45(3). p.585-609
Abstract
Microcredit schemes have been increasingly incorporated into development policiesthat aim to de-marginalise rural China. Based on in-depth ethnographicfieldwork,this paper examines the various roles that microcredit programmes play indevelopment outcomes at the local level. It demonstrates that microcredit has theability to facilitate the de-marginalisation of certain individuals/groups, whilesimultaneously (re)producing inequalities, thus exacerbating the marginalisation ofothers. Thisfinding demonstrates that microcredit does not induce uniform,predictable and linear development through the integration of marginal places andpeople into the formalfinancial system and wider economy. Instead, microcreditprogrammes... (More)
Microcredit schemes have been increasingly incorporated into development policiesthat aim to de-marginalise rural China. Based on in-depth ethnographicfieldwork,this paper examines the various roles that microcredit programmes play indevelopment outcomes at the local level. It demonstrates that microcredit has theability to facilitate the de-marginalisation of certain individuals/groups, whilesimultaneously (re)producing inequalities, thus exacerbating the marginalisation ofothers. Thisfinding demonstrates that microcredit does not induce uniform,predictable and linear development through the integration of marginal places andpeople into the formalfinancial system and wider economy. Instead, microcreditprogrammes reflect and reinforce the interlocking sets of unequal relationships thatare the root cause of marginality and underdevelopment in China. Through thisdetailed analysis of the contradictory outcomes of Chinese microcreditprogrammes, this paper provides the basis for a wider relational critique ofmicrocredit as an intervention aimed at inducing a specific type ofmarket-oriented linear development that is beneficial for some and detrimental forothers. (Less)
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author
organization
publishing date
type
Contribution to journal
publication status
published
subject
keywords
Asian Studies, Development Studies, Rural development, China
in
Journal of Peasant Studies
volume
45
issue
3
pages
585 - 609
publisher
Frank Cass Publishers
external identifiers
  • scopus:85001967876
ISSN
1743-9361
DOI
10.1080/03066150.2016.1236025
language
English
LU publication?
yes
id
a985a0b3-9c36-44db-bd5d-32f1b84cab16
date added to LUP
2017-03-09 21:52:12
date last changed
2023-05-30 15:47:02
@article{a985a0b3-9c36-44db-bd5d-32f1b84cab16,
  abstract     = {{Microcredit schemes have been increasingly incorporated into development policiesthat aim to de-marginalise rural China. Based on in-depth ethnographicfieldwork,this  paper  examines  the  various  roles  that  microcredit  programmes  play  indevelopment outcomes at the local level. It demonstrates that microcredit has theability  to  facilitate  the  de-marginalisation  of  certain  individuals/groups,  whilesimultaneously (re)producing inequalities, thus exacerbating the marginalisation ofothers.  Thisfinding  demonstrates  that  microcredit  does  not  induce  uniform,predictable and linear development through the integration of marginal places andpeople into the formalfinancial system and wider economy. Instead, microcreditprogrammes reflect and reinforce the interlocking sets of unequal relationships thatare the root cause of marginality and underdevelopment in China. Through thisdetailed  analysis  of  the  contradictory  outcomes  of  Chinese  microcreditprogrammes, this paper provides the basis for a wider relational critique ofmicrocredit  as  an  intervention  aimed  at  inducing  a  specific  type  ofmarket-oriented linear development that is beneficial for some and detrimental forothers.}},
  author       = {{Loubere, Nicholas}},
  issn         = {{1743-9361}},
  keywords     = {{Asian Studies; Development Studies; Rural development; China}},
  language     = {{eng}},
  number       = {{3}},
  pages        = {{585--609}},
  publisher    = {{Frank Cass Publishers}},
  series       = {{Journal of Peasant Studies}},
  title        = {{Indebted to Development : Microcredit as (De)marginalisation in Rural China}},
  url          = {{http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/03066150.2016.1236025}},
  doi          = {{10.1080/03066150.2016.1236025}},
  volume       = {{45}},
  year         = {{2018}},
}