The persistence of poverty and growing economic inequality challenge the notion that individuals can solely determine their economic fate. This book brings together economists, economic historians, and sociologists to examine the conditions that trap individuals, groups, and entire economies in persistent poverty. It questions the model of individual economic self-determination, particularly for the poor, in the face of global economic disparities. The contributors assess current knowledge and identify gaps in understanding these complex poverty traps.

The book is presented as a collection of interdisciplinary perspectives aimed at understanding the complex factors contributing to persistent poverty and economic inequality. By integrating insights from economics, economic history, and sociology, it seeks to challenge conventional notions of individual economic agency. The work appears to be geared towards an academic or policy-oriented audience interested in the structural causes of poverty traps.