This book takes a multidisciplinary approach to poverty, including five different perspectives from the disciplines of economics, sociology, anthropology, psychology and institutional economics. The book also explores the link between poverty and the concept of freedom, as articulated by Amartya Sen, in terms of capabilities that are valuable to people. There are also studies of chronicity of poverty, the concept of vulnerability, the political economy of poverty alleviation and the pro-poorness of government programs. The book presents a panorama, as large as possible, of the many facets of poverty. The broad view of poverty that the book offers is likely to orient research on poverty in directions neglected hitherto and to help those in charge of implementing poverty reduction policies.