Introduction

This introduction presents an overview of the key concepts discussed in the subsequent chapters of this book. The book shows how households respond to poverty and why some are more successful in reducing their deprivation than others. It draws on longitudinal research carried out between April and October 2002 in a gecekondu settlement in the Turkish capital city of Ankara. The book presents a critical overview of the relevant theoretical literature in order to provide a sound basis for understanding poverty and socio-economic behaviour of the poor households. It examines two current frameworks used to explain household survival or livelihood strategies, one of which is based on Polanyi's three modes of economic integration and the other represents the resource-based approach to livelihoods. The book evaluates the contributions to theory, research and policy-making, and provides a presentation of research limitations and an agenda for future research.