Michael Samson

Publications and Working Papers

Michael Samson (forthcoming) “How countries are using social protection to benefit the poor”, Chapter 6 in OECD (2013), Development Co-operation Report 2013: Ending Poverty, OECD Publishing. doi: 10.1787/dcr-2013-en. Publication date: 13 November 2013.

Michael Samson (forthcoming) “Social protection’s role within a modern development agenda: the socio-economic impacts” in University Press Limited (UPL) volume of conference papers from ‘Scaling-up Social Protection in Bangladesh: Providing Ladders out of Poverty and Social Safety Nets’, held in Dhaka on October 9th and 10th 2011.

Carolyn Heinrich, John Hoddinott, Michael Samson (2013) “Reducing Adolescent Risky Behaviors in a High-Risk Context: The Effects of Unconditional Cash Transfers in South Africa”. Submitted to World Development, February 2013.

Michael Samson (2012) “The design and implementation of social pensions for older persons in Asia” (Chapter 3) in Social protection for older persons. Edited by Sri Wening Handayani and Babken V Babajanian; Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines : Asian Development Bank, c2012. (OCoLC)829388236.

Michael Samson (2012) “Nepal’s senior citizens allowance” (Chapter 9) in Social protection for older persons. Edited by Sri Wening Handayani and Babken V Babajanian; Mandaluyong City, Metro Manila, Philippines : Asian Development Bank, c2012. (OCoLC)829388236.

Carolyn Heinrich, John Hoddinott, Michael Samson (2012) “The impact of South Africa’s Child Support Grant on schooling and learning”. Submitted to Journal of Development Studies (September 2012).

Michael Samson, Carolyn J. Heinrich, Sheshangai Kaniki, Ferdinando Regalia, Kenneth Mac Quene, Tendie Muzondo, Ingrid van Niekerk and Martin Williams. (2011). “Impacts of South Africa’s Child Support Grant” in Social Protection for Africa’s Children, edited by Sudhanshu Handa, Stephen Devereux and Doug Webb; Routledge Studies in Development Economics; pp. 117-146.

Samson, Michael, Ingrid van Niekerk and Kenneth Mac Quene (2006, 2010, forthcoming) Designing and Implementing Social Transfer Programmes (1st, 2nd and 3rd editions), Cape Town: EPRI Press.

Samson, Michael (2009) “The Impact of Social Transfers on Growth, Development, Poverty and Inequality in Developing Countries” chapter in Building decent societies: Rethinking the role of social security in development, edited by Peter Townsend, published by Palgrave MacMillan (ISBN 978-92-2-121995-8).

Michael Samson (2009) “Social Protection and Pro-poor Growth” Policy Guidance Note published in in OECD (2009) Promoting Pro-Poor Growth: Social Protection. OECD Publishing. http://www.oecd.org/development/povertyreduction/43514582.pdf

Michael Samson (2009) “Social cash transfers and pro-poor growth” in OECD (2009) Promoting Pro-Poor Growth: Social Protection. OECD Publishing.
http://www.oecd.org/development/povertyreduction/43514582.pdf

Michael Samson, Kenneth Mac Quene and Ingrid van Niekerk (2008). Feasibility study for a social pension in Malawi. Government of Malawi report.
Michael Samson, Cecile Cherrier, Kenneth Mac Quene and Ingrid van Niekerk (2008). A child-centred social protection strategy for Rwanda. UNICEF and Save the Children Rwanda.

Michael Samson, Kenneth Mac Quene, Ingrid van Niekerk and Sheshi Kaniki (2007). Feasibility study for a child grant in Lesotho. Government of Lesotho report commissioned by UNICEF.

Michael Samson, Kenneth Mac Quene, Ingrid van Niekerk and Sheshi Kaniki (2007). Implementation plan for the Livelihoods Empowerment against Poverty cash transfer programme. Government of Ghana report.

Michael Samson, (with K. Mac Quene and I. van Niekerk) Designing and Implementing Social Transfer Programmes. EPRI Press: Cape Town, 2006.

Michael Samson, (with K. Mac Quene and I. van Niekerk) “A Case Study of Social Security in South Africa”. Commissioned 2005 by the Inter-regional Inequality Facility (NEPAD, African Development Bank, Economic Commission on Africa, et. al.)

__________, (with K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, J. Lorentzen, H. Rhee, S. Kaniki, G. S. Mabilo, E. Mtonga, R. Lamberti and K. Reynolds). “An Assessment of the Government’s Microeconomic Reform Strategy and Overview of Developments and Outlook of South Africa’s Real Economy”. Commissioned 2004 by the Ministry of Trade and Industry’s Office of the Director-General for the 2005 Cabinet Lekgotla.

__________, (with U. Lee, A. Ndlebe, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, V. Gandhi and T. Harigaya). “The Social and Economic Impact of South Africa’s Social Security System”. Commissioned by the Economics and Finance Directorate, Ministry of Social Development, 2004.

__________, “The Socio-economic Impact of South Africa’s State Old Age Pension”. Commissioned by the Economics and Finance Directorate, Department of Social Development, 2004.

Michael Samson, (with S. Ampofo, K. Mac Quene, A. Ndlebe, I. van Niekerk) “The volatility of the rand and its impact on the manufacturing sector”. Commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (South African government), 2003.

__________, (with G. Standing, eds.) A Basic Income Grant for South Africa, University of Cape Town Press, 2003.

__________, (with C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, G.Khathi, O. Babson, A. Stevens) “The Social, Economic and Fiscal Impact of a Basic Income Grant for South Africa” in A Basic Income Grant for South Africa, 2003.

Social and Economic Impact of Social Assistance Grants”. Research report commissioned by the Department of Social Development (South African Government), 2003.

__________, “HIV/AIDS and poverty in households with children suffering from malnutrition: The role of social security in Mount Frere”. South African Journal of Economics Vol. 70:7, 2002.

__________, “The Social, Economic and Fiscal Impact of Comprehensive Social Security Reform for South Africa”. Social Dynamics Vol. 28:2, 2002.

__________, (with U. Lee, B. Libresco, G. Khathi, Y. Abrahams, A. Stevens, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk) “The Impact of Trade Liberalisation on Workers in the South African Textile Industry”. A Research Report Commissioned by ESSET, 2002.

__________, (with O. Babson, C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, G. Khathi, I. van Niekerk, and K. Mac Quene) “Social assistance grants and the basic income grant”. Commissioned by the Committee of Inquiry into a Comprehensive System of Social Security for South Africa, and incorporated into chapter 5 of the Committee’s report to the South African Cabinet, 2002.

__________, (with N. Sogaula, R. van Niekerk, M. Noble, C. Green, and M. Sigala) “Social security transfers, poverty and chronic illness in the Eastern Cape: an investigation of the relationship between social security grants, the alleviation of rural poverty and chronic illnesses including those associated with HIV/AIDS – a case study of Mount Frere in the Eastern Cape”. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2002.

__________, (with A. Stevens, T. McCarthy-Johnson, K. Mac Quene and I. van Niekerk) “Linkages between poverty and the environment: evidence from cross-country studies and the 1999 October Household Survey”. EPRI Research Paper No. 29. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2002.

__________, (with K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, and T. McCarthy-Johnson) “Poverty, HIV/AIDS and social security”. EPRI Research Paper No. 30. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2002.

__________, (with O. Babson, C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, G. Kathi, K. Mac Quene and I. van Niekerk) “Research Review on Social Security Reform and the Basic Income Grant for South Africa”. EPRI Policy Report No. 31. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2002.

__________, (with K. Mac Quene, and I. van Niekerk) “Capital skills/intensity and job creation: an analysis of policy options”. EPRI Research Paper No. 18. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, G. Khathi, and O. Babson) “The social impact of reform options: the universal child support grant and the basic income grant”. EPRI Research Paper No. 20. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, G. Khathi. and O. Babson) “The economic impact of a basic income grant in South Africa”. EPRI Research Paper No. 21. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, G. Khathi and O. Babson) “The fiscal impact of a basic income grant in South Africa”. EPRI Research Paper No. 22. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, G. Khathi and O. Babson) “Methodological issues in evaluating poverty policy”. EPRI Research Paper No. 23. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk, G. Khathi and O. Babson) “Social security take-up and the means test in South Africa”. EPRI Research Paper No. 24. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with O. Babson, C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, G. Khathi, I. van Niekerk and K. Mac Quene) “The impact of social security on school enrolment in South Africa”. EPRI Research Paper No. 25. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with D. Rosenblum, C. Haarmann, D. Haarmann, K. Mac Quene and I. van Niekerk) “The socio-economic impact of “Workfare”: Welfare reform lessons from the United States and other international experiences”. EPRI Research Paper No. 26. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with C. Green and R. van Niekerk) “AIDS, Poverty and Malnutrition”. EPRI Research Paper No. 34. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2001.

__________, (with O. Babson, K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk and R. van Niekerk) “The macroeconomic implications of poverty-reducing income transfers”. EPRI Research Paper No. 9. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2000.

EPRI Research Paper No. 9. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2000.

__________, (with A. Bayat and I. van Niekerk). “Gender equality and comprehensive social security reform”. EPRI Research Paper No. 12. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2000.

__________, (with J. Stanley, K. Mac Quene and I. van Niekerk). “An economic appraisal of arguments for and against South Africa’s proposed capital gains tax legislation”. EPRI Research Paper No. 14. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2000.

__________, (with I. van Niekerk and K. Mac Quene) “Macroeconomic Options for Job Creation and Social Development”. EPRI Research Paper No. 15. Economic Policy Research Institute, 2000.

__________, (with K. Mac Quene, I. van Niekerk. and S. Umlauf) “South Africa’s arms acquisition package: An analysis of the socio-economic costs and benefits”. EPRI Research Paper No. 5. Economic Policy Research Institute, 1999.

__________, (with I. van Niekerk and N. Bovula) “Poverty-eradicating job creation”. EPRI Research Paper No. 7. Economic Policy Research Institute, 1999.

__________, (with A. Bayat). “Re-orienting monetary and financial policy towards job creation and the interests of the poor”. EPRI Research Paper No. 8. Economic Policy Research Institute, 1999.

__________, “Social investment, economic growth and redistribution: Implications for South Africa’s Policy Dilemmas”. EPRI Research Paper No. 4. Economic Policy Research Institute, 1998.

__________, (with K. Mac Quene, and I. van Niekerk) “Economic strategies for poverty eradication”. ESSET workshop paper, 1998.

__________, “Fiscal policy for job-creating growth”. COSATU workshop paper. Congress of South African Trade Unions, 1997.

__________, “Financial Repression, Directed Credit Subsidies, and Declining Income: The Problem of Optimal Monetary Control,” Center for Research in Economic Growth Memorandum No. 307, Stanford University, 1993.

Selected Work Experience

Director of Research, Economic Policy Research Institute, Cape Town, South Africa

Country Experience

Brazil, Costa Rica, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Mexico, Namibia, Nicaragua, Pakistan, South Africa