Taking Ideas and Discourses Seriously: A Discursive Institutionalist Perspective on Social Protection Policy in India
This paper argues that institutional stability and change in social protection policy in India are best explained through the explanatory power of ideas and the interactive processes of discourse. However, traditional institutionalist theories, whether rational choice, sociological, or historical, tend to underplay the role of ideas and discourse as drivers of institutional stability and change.
Are the determinants of financial inclusion always manipulable and rankable? A novel framework for examining financial inclusion interventions
In this blog, the author has attempted to summarise the vast literature on the determinants of financial inclusion using a framework developed by Moscona et al (2026).
Methodological Concerns in Measuring Microfinance Outcomes
This is Part 3 of a 3-part series on the recently released NCAER-MFIN report, “Assessing the Effectiveness of Regulated Small Borrowing in India”. In this blog, we examine issues related to measurement and empirical strategy.
Learnings from Action Research
In this paper, we take a look back at 30 months of action research work and reflect on the process, the hurdles overcome, and the lessons learned. Unlike our usual publications, this one is a meta-reflection on the method of action research. We hope it will be useful for other organizations like ours that are doing this kind of work and to funders who fund it.
