Poverty Narratives and Power Paradoxes in International Trade Negotiations and Beyond

In this work, Amrita Narlikar argues that, contrary to common assumption, modern-day politics displays a surprising paradox: poverty - and the powerlessness with which it is associated - has emerged as a political tool and a formidable weapon in international negotiation. The success of poverty narratives, however, means that their use has not been limited to the neediest. Focusing on behaviours and outcomes in a particularly polarising area of bargaining - international trade - and illustrating wider applications of the argument, Narlikar shows how these narratives have been effectively used. Yet, she also sheds light on how indiscriminate overuse and misuse increasingly run the risk of adverse consequences for the system at large, and devastating repercussions for the weakest members of society. Narlikar advances a theory of agency and empowerment by focusing on the life-cycles of narratives, and concludes by offering policy-relevant insights on how to construct winning and sustainable narratives.

1. Introduction: poverty narratives and power paradoxes; 2. The disempowered many: when the weak suffered what they must; 3. Winning against the odds: a growing empowerment; 4. When fair is foul and foul is fair: overuse and misuse of the poverty narrative; 5. Conclusion: how to sustain the power of the powerless and build winning narratives.

Amrita Narlikar is President of the German Institute for Global and Area Studies (GIGA) and Professor at Hamburg University. Her previous books include Bargaining with a Rising India (co-authored, 2014), The Oxford Handbook on the World Trade Organization (co-edited, 2012), and Deadlocks in Multilateral Negotiations (edited, Cambridge, 2010).