Hashemi, Syed M., Ann P. Riley, Shireen Akhter, and Sideney R. Schulber. “Credit Programs, Patriarchy and Men’s Violence against Women in Rural Bangladesh.” Social Science & Medicine 43, no. 12 (1996): 1729-1742.
http://econpapers.repec.org/article/eeesocmed/v_3a43_3ay_3a1996_3ai_3a12_3ap_3a1729-1742.htm
This paper explores the relationship between domestic violence against women and their economic and social dependence in two ways: a. describes the common situations violence occurs in Bangladesh and b. the role of two credit programs, Grameen Bank and BRAC Rural Development program in reducing women‘s vulnerability to men’s violence by strengthening women‘s economic roles and making their lives more public.
Karim, Lamia. “Demystifying Micro-Credit : The Grameen Bank, NGOs, and Neoliberalism in Bangladesh.” Cultural Dynamics 20, no. 5 (2008): 5-29.
http://cdy.sagepub.com/content/20/1/5.full.pdf+html
This article is an ethnographic study of the effects of micro credit on gender relations in rural Bangladesh. First, the study describes the role of gender in the expansion of globalization and neoliberalism in Bangladesh by focusing on Grameen Bank and other NGOs. Secondly, examines the loan recovery tactics of these programs. Finally,the article examines how Bangladeshi rural women’s honor and shame are instrumentally appropriated by micro credit NGOs in the furtherance of their capitalist interests.
Keeber, Naila. “Conflicts over Credit: Revaluating the Empowerment Potential of Loans to Women in Rural Bangladesh.” World Development 28, no. 1 (2001): 63-84.
http://www.sciencedirect.com/science?_ob=ArticleURL&_udi=B6VC6-41SKB45-4&_user=2148430&_coverDate=01%2F31%2F2001&_rdoc=1&_fmt=high&_ orig=search&_origin=search&_sort=d&_docanchor=&view=c&_searchStrId= 1537527564&_rerunOrigin=google&_acct=C000056308&_version=1&_urlVersion=0&_ userid=2148430&md5=770e3e161ceb0cc6a2e3678a941ab741&searchtype=a
This paper explores the reason why recent evaluations of empowerment potential among credit programs for rural women in Bangladesh have arrived at very conflicting conclusions. Although these evaluations use somewhat different methodologies and have been carried out at the different points of time, the paper argues that the primary resource of conflict lies in the very different understanding of intra household power relations.
Mac Farquhar, Neil. “Banks Making Big Profits from Tiny Loans.” The New York Times, April 13, 2010.
http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/world/14microfinance.html?_r=1&pagewanted=all
The following is an article in the New York Times about microfinance as a tool to create more profit, and its transparency challenges.
Mayoux, Linda. “Microfinance and women’s empowerment: Rethinking ‘best practice’.” Development Bulletin (2002): 76-81.
http://devnet.anu.edu.au/GenderPacific/pdfs/06_gen_status_mayoux.pdf
Linda Mayoux questions the link between the social impacts of micro finance on gender equity. She argues that in order for an MFI to really have an effect on gender equity it cannot only treat equity as giving women access to micro finance and poverty reduction, but instead micro credit must be seen as a human right issue.
Morduch, Jonathan. “The Microfinance PromiseJonathan.” Journal of Economic Literature 37, no. 4 (1999): 1569-1614.
http://www2.kobe-u.ac.jp/~fmieno/main/lec/1HitoIED/MF_promise_Morduch.pdf
Morduch explores the impact of Micro Finance and its expansion on countries like Bolivia, Bangladesh and Indonesia. He tries to determine whether micro finance is truly the answer to poverty alleviation with profits.
Rankin, Katherine N. “Governing development: neo liberalism, microcredit, and rational economic woman.” Economy and Society 30, no. 1 (2001): 18-37.
This paper addresses the emergence of microcredit programs as a preferred strategy for poverty alleviation world-wide in Nepal. On one hand, micro credit as a government strategy is linked with neo liberalism ideals of entrepreneurship while still being considered a useful “self help” tool to achieve women’s empowerment. The author questions microfinance as a mean to end gender oppression instead she sees micro credit as the cause of gender oppression.
Skibola, Nicole. “Bringing the ‘Girl Effect’ Back Home: Microfinance Projects for American Women.” The Huffington Post, February 2011.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/nicole-skibola/microfinance-american-women_b_826884.html
Skibola discusses how microfinance is working in the United States. In particular, the articles talks about the impact of microfinance in American women.
