Till Örebro universitet

Why do the poor stay poor? And, crucially, why are their children likely to be poor and end up poor later in life? This is a familiar question in the fields of development, social policy and economics alike. Bangladesh has seen notable successes in reducing poverty, and yet, addressing the transfer of deprivations and disadvantages within and between generations still poses a major challenge for policy-makers. To date, literature on inter-generational poverty remains dominated by large quantitative panel data. By contrast, this study draws on a unique qualitative dataset of 72 extreme poor households across Bangladesh, examining how inter- and intra-generational bargains generate extreme poverty. It is argued that, while poverty is transferred inter-generationally, it is not transferred equally. Rather, transferred disadvantages are shaped by persistent forms of deprivation, discrimination and a household-level political economy that is highly gendered. The inter-generational transfer of poverty should be seen as a dynamic and negotiated process that is crucially shaped by intra-generational bargains.

Motivation: Many mainstream welfare theories developed by social scientists and applied by economists and policymakers underestimate families’ roles in providing welfare to citizens. This is surprising given that the family constitutes one of the main welfare pillars across typologies of the welfare state.

Purpose: This article seeks to explore the role of the family as a welfare pillar with an ageing perspective. We aimed to test whether the family serves as a space for negotiations to improve wellbeing and achieve security in the absence of effective formal mechanisms.

Methods and approach: Applying the framework of “informal security regimes” (Wood, 2004), this article draws on 37 life history interviews collected from older persons living in extreme poverty in Bangladesh. Recurring themes are identified and analysed to explore the relationship between family and wellbeing/security.

Findings: We find that family relationships are often central in the pursuit of security. This shows how welfare delivery in low- and middle-income countries (L&MICs), in this case Bangladesh, is deeply rooted in reciprocal family systems where all members actively fulfil moral and material expectations. Pursuing this collective goal can take different forms relative to each member's physical and mental capacity, position, gender, and age. Building on the empirical evidence, we propose the concept of “relational security” as a crucial marker and shaper of wellbeing.

Policy implications: To be effective, welfare policies need to better consider how the conception and experiences of wellbeing and security, especially for the older persons living in extreme poverty, are deeply embedded within the complex functioning of the relationships that can shape welfare outcomes in different directions.

Interviewing different groups involves different challenges and opportunities. Older persons living in extreme poverty are among those who warrant special methodological considerations. Building on the experiences of life-history interviews with extreme poor older persons in Bangladesh, this article contributes with a methodological reflection on the interview process from the start to the end. The article highlights the key practical, emotional, and ethical concerns that impact the interview process. Adopting an activist approach, it asserts that offering additional power and (or) agency to poor and vulnerable participants yields more benefit to research. The article challenges the traditional consent-seeking process as it remains short of protecting the participants fully. Period of silence appears to be crucial in interviews for which a researcher should devise schemes on how to manage and analyze silence as a non-textual interview content. The paper stresses on the need to frame plans and protocols for the researchers themselves as they can be exposed to mental, physical, or social harm. It recommends reformulation of the idea of accountability toward the research participants in relation to incentivisation, dissemination and reporting back to the community. Understanding all such nuances and careful dealing of micro-ethical aspects are crucial to succeed in an interview. The article can be particularly beneficial for early-stage researchers who conduct interviews with people living in extreme poverty, as it makes them more aware and prepared to deal with the possible challenges inherent in different stages of the interview process.