Major and Classification
International Relations
Faculty Mentors
- Professor Dean Campbell
Department
- Political Science
McNair Project
“Turning Culture into an Incubator for Success: Understanding the Dynamics of Ethnic Enclaves in Microfinance Replication”
This paper examines the relationship between entrenched cultural values that support social networks and how these aspects of culture can promote the sustainability of microfinance programs in urban communities in the United States. By analyzing the social factors that have contributed to the Grameen Bank as the first microcredit institution, and comparing its structure to that of programs that have been developed in Bolivia and in the United States, a more complete understanding of social networks and social capital in urban communities contributes to the understanding of how to make microfinance a successful mechanism for poverty reduction in the United States.