Transformative Social Policy in Development? Demystifying Conditional Cash Transfers in Latin America

Sammanfattning

Johan Sandberg.

Conditional cash transfers (CCTs) have been widely promoted for their ability to simultaneously pursue the twin objectives of short-term poverty alleviation through income support (i.e. cash transfers), and long-term poverty reduction through human capital investments (i.e. conditional behavioural changes). Yet, in spite of constituting one of the most researched development programmes, CCTs’ alleged capabilities concerning long-term poverty reduction remain enigmatic, wrapped in numerous layers of theoretical assumptions and ‘taken-for-granted’ expectations. This dissertation accordingly looks at evidence, assumptions, and diffusion of CCTs in Latin America.