The politics of poverty in contemporary Russia

Abstract

Drawing on a multitude of in-depth interviews and surveys with ordinary people, front-line social workers and local officials, Sätre explains what it is like to be poor in Russian society, how and why some people prosper, while others struggle and many fall into poverty traps. The author considers official poverty statistics but focuses on Sen's more sophisticated capability approach, showing how access to human capital, welfare rights and social relationships influence opportunity and poverty. The book's greatest strength is that it brings the reader into little-known towns, villages and provincial cities whose residents, some interviewed at several points from 2002 to 2017, give vivid accounts of how Russia's transformation has affected the welfare of their families and communities.