The Empathy Fix

Why Poverty Persists and How to Change it

Keetie Roelen

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Hardback

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English

Atlantic Books
01 April 2025

Politics & government; Political economy; Welfare economics

Poverty is something we all want to see less of. So why does it prove so difficult to tackle? Can empathy help fix it?

'An important and necessary book exploring the chronic empathy deficit around global poverty, offering surprising and compelling solutions to one of the greatest injustices of our time.' - Roman Krznaric

'This urgent book gives us renewed hope ... through the refreshing lens of empathy and equality, a must read!' - Natasha Carthew Poverty is bad for everyone. Being at the sharp end of disadvantage is shameful, reduces brainpower, and hampers positive action. It increases crime, burdens healthcare systems and raises taxpayers' bills. With millions around the world struggling to make ends meet and increased socioeconomic uncertainty making poverty a more probable prospect for many more, tackling poverty has never been more urgent.

Yet, while the ultra-rich bask in the glory of superstar status, people in poverty are cast as second-rate citizens. Deeply engrained prejudice and punitive policies lead to vicious cycles of deprivation. Positive psychology that emphasises personal strengths can be empowering for some, but also feeds toxic narratives of failure and defeat. The flipside of taking credit for individual success is that the inability to achieve it is attributed to personal shortcomings.

The Empathy Fix exposes the realities of poverty and reveals why policies don't work. It is a radical rethink of current efforts to tackle poverty, what it means and how we break the cycle. Here, writer and researcher Keetie Roelen provides readers with the tools to relate to poverty, realise why current interventions often don't work, and to respond to the situation in a way that gives everyone a sense of dignity and agency.

Through empathy, we can all contribute to a more equal society.

'If you want to understand the reality of poverty, start by reading this book.' - Olivier De Schutter

'A stellar piece of work from a seasoned researcher that sheds fresh light on what has been a perennial problem.' - Mary O'Hara

'Keetie Roelen has written a unique, sensitively-crafted and much-needed book.' - Sarah P Corbett

By: Keetie Roelen
Imprint: Atlantic Books
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Edition: Main
Dimensions: Height: 216mm, Width: 135mm, Spine: 24mm
Weight: 445g
ISBN: 9781805461753
ISBN 10: 1805461753
Pages: 336
Publication Date: 01 April 2025
Audience: College/higher education , Professional and scholarly , Primary , Undergraduate
Format: Hardback
Publisher's Status: Active

Keetie Roelen is a Senior Research Fellow and Co-Deputy Director of the Centre for the Study of Global Development at The Open University, UK. She has a PhD in Public Policy from the University of Maastricht in the Netherlands and has been working in the field of poverty, social policy, and international development for nearly two decades. She is also founder and host of the podcast Poverty Unpacked, a platform for exploring the hidden sides of poverty.Her work has featured in media such as The Guardian and BBC World Service. She has spoken about how to address poverty to multiple audiences, ranging from government ministers and members of parliament to students and activists.

Reviews for The Empathy Fix: Why Poverty Persists and How to Change it

An important and necessary book exploring the chronic empathy deficit around global poverty, offering surprising and compelling solutions to one of the greatest injustices of our time. -- Roman Krznaric The enormous achievement of this book is that it provides a lucid assessment of poverty, by connecting dry statistics to human faces and lived experiences... What emerges is a powerful picture showing the inventiveness of people living in poverty and their incredible resilience, but also how their efforts are hampered by povertyism - the abuse and negative stereotyping they confront on a daily basis. If you want to understand the reality of poverty, start by reading this book. -- Olivier De Schutter Now more than ever The Empathy Fix needs to find its way into the hands of not just global policy makers, but anyone who thinks that poverty doesn't exist or that there are no solutions to our very often secreted difficulties. This urgent book gives us renewed hope - hope served perfectly and respectfully through the refreshing lens of empathy and equality, a must read! -- Natasha Carthew Keetie Roelen's work on poverty has for many years been a key 'go-to' resource for those of us who write or campaign about the issue. The Empathy Fix is no exception. A stellar piece of work from a seasoned researcher that sheds fresh light on what has been a perennial problem. Significantly, Roelen does much more than assess the situation, she offers a new perspective on how we might address it - an empathy road map, if you will. This book is a must read for anyone seeking to understand the root cause and effects of poverty but, crucially, solutions. -- Mary O'Hara Keetie Roelen has written a unique, sensitively-crafted and much-needed book that takes readers on a journey of understanding the complexities of the impact of poverty not just in terms of human needs but also addressing the often hidden or messier parts of poverty people avoid: attitudes, stigmas and unhealthy power dynamics within systems created to help people out of poverty. A vital book! -- Sarah P Corbett