In this category, we promote books that we believe provide the best comprehensive introduction to global development. Our goal is to promote books that posit different solutions to the social problems of the world. At times these books contradict each other. At others, they don’t overlap at all, but rather focus on completely different methods for social change. Each book poses solutions to social problems, and are all related to finding solutions to poverty.

How to Change the World, by David Bornstein: This book illustrates a people-centered approach built around the concept of social entrepreneurship.

The End of Poverty, by Jeffrey Sachs: This book provides a macroscopic view of global poverty and maps a potential path, spearheaded by the UN, to end poverty by 2025.

The White Man’s Burden, by William Easterly: Here, William Easterly writes a critique of The End of Poverty, referring to past failed attempts to end poverty through a large scale planned effort.

The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, by C.K. Prahalad: Prahalad points to the importance of wide scale involvement of the private sector in eradicating poverty.

This book discuss the increasing role of social entrepreneurs in the world. While social entrepreneurs have existed for centuries, the field of social entrepreneurship is a relatively new one. How to Change the World tells the story of Ashoka, an organization launched by Bill Drayton in 1980 which began to build some of the first infrastructure for the emerging citizen sector. If you are interested in studying pattern changing ideas that address social issues on a broad scale and the dynamic people who married themselves to those ideas to implement them, this is the book for you.

You can also read the book online here.

In the End of Poverty, Jeffrey Sachs outlines a plan to end extreme poverty by 2025. While sparking an international movement, the book has also attracted criticism from those who are wary of large scale aid efforts. Purchase this book here.

This book was written in response to The End of Poverty to provide an alternative view on international development. You can purchase it here.

In The Fortune at the Bottom of the Pyramid, C.K. Prahalad illustrates how wealth can be created within the developing world, both for for-profit companies as well as developing communities themselves. In summary, Prahalad makes a strong case for the involvement of the private sector in global development.

In this video, Jacqueline Novogratz discusses the concept of patient capitalism with respect to supporting entrepreneurship in developing countries.

Watch this video to hear Sachs’ most prominent critic, William Easterly, talk about how he thinks Sachs’ plan will mirror past failed attempts at ending poverty. Easterly believes global development has, and always will happen in the form of homegrown development. Will this round of aid be different?

Watch this video for an introduction of Jeffrey Sachs and the Millennium Village Project. Jeffrey Sachs, in partnership with the United Nations, has created a plan to end poverty by 2025. (more…)