This book investigates how to accurately define and measure poverty within affluent nations to ensure policy-making remains valid and meaningful. The authors, Brian Nolan and Christopher T. Whelan, utilize their expertise in social policy and economics to challenge the traditional reliance on income-based metrics. They argue that poverty is a multidimensional state that requires a broader framework incorporating direct indicators of deprivation and resource access to properly identify those excluded from societal participation.

Experts recognize this work as a significant contribution to the field of poverty research for its shift away from aggregate statistical indices toward individual identification. Scholars frequently cite the text for its rigorous application of survey data to validate the necessity of multidimensional poverty metrics.