COVID-19 and the Unequalizing Infrastructures of Financial Inclusion in Tamil Nadu

Isabelle  Guerin; Vincent Guermond; Nithya  Joseph; Nithya Natarajan; Venkatasubramanian  Govindan

doi:10.1111/dech.12674

COVID-19 and the Unequalizing Infrastructures of Financial Inclusion in Tamil Nadu

Isabelle Guerin
, Vincent Guermond
, Nithya Joseph
, Nithya Natarajan
, Venkatasubramanian Govindan

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

Abstract

This article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on microfinance borrowers in Tamil Nadu, India. Through an examination of the social and financial infrastructures underpinning inclusive finance, the article demonstrates how the COVID-19 pandemic exposes the limits and exclusionary tendencies of the for-profit financial inclusion industry. The unequalizing breakdown of financial inclusion infrastructures during the pandemic prioritizes future revenue extraction over current livelihood needs, throwing hard-hit borrowers back on hierarchical informal financial and social infrastructures to cope with COVID-19-induced risk. Tracing the experiences of poor microfinance borrowers in Tamil Nadu, this article examines how COVID-19 is reshaping inclusive financial infrastructures in ways that reveal the dynamics of exclusion at the heart of financial inclusion.

Original language	English
Pages (from-to)	927-951
Number of pages	24
Journal	Development and Change
Volume	52
Issue number	4
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1111/dech.12674
Publication status	Published - 16 Aug 2021

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

SDG 1 No Poverty
SDG 5 Gender Equality
SDG 8 Decent Work and Economic Growth

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10.1111/dech.12674Licence: CC BY

Depleted by Debt? Focusing a Gendered Lens on Climate Resilience, Credit and Malnutrition in Translocal Cambodia and South India
Brickell, K. (PI), Natarajan, N. (CoI), Parsons, L. (CoI), Guermond, V. (CoI), Picchioni, F. (CoI), Zanello, G. (CoI), Chann, S. (CoI), Guérin, I. (CoI), Joseph, N. (CoI), Govindan, V. (CoI) & Iskander, D. (CoI)
Project: Research

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title = "COVID-19 and the Unequalizing Infrastructures of Financial Inclusion in Tamil Nadu",

abstract = "This article discusses the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on microfinance borrowers in Tamil Nadu, India. Through an examination of the social and financial infrastructures underpinning inclusive finance, the article demonstrates how the COVID-19 pandemic exposes the limits and exclusionary tendencies of the for-profit financial inclusion industry. The unequalizing breakdown of financial inclusion infrastructures during the pandemic prioritizes future revenue extraction over current livelihood needs, throwing hard-hit borrowers back on hierarchical informal financial and social infrastructures to cope with COVID-19-induced risk. Tracing the experiences of poor microfinance borrowers in Tamil Nadu, this article examines how COVID-19 is reshaping inclusive financial infrastructures in ways that reveal the dynamics of exclusion at the heart of financial inclusion.",

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AU - Govindan, Venkatasubramanian

PY - 2021/8/16

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JO - Development and Change

JF - Development and Change

IS - 4

ER -

COVID-19 and the Unequalizing Infrastructures of Financial Inclusion in Tamil Nadu

Abstract

UN SDGs

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Projects

Depleted by Debt? Focusing a Gendered Lens on Climate Resilience, Credit and Malnutrition in Translocal Cambodia and South India

Cite this