The Handbook of Social Protection: Evidence and New Directions for Low- and Middle-Income Countries

By Benjamin A. Olken (MIT Press, 2026). Over the past several decades, social protection programs that provide financial assistance to the poor and insure against shocks for the vulnerable have become widespread in low- and middle-income countries. These programs can play a critical role in society. This book provides an overview of what we know about the differing aspects of social protection and highlights the open questions for research for the future.