A long time ago in a galaxy far, far away. . . How microfinance evolved and how research followed

Abstract

This article is the introductory chapter of the book A Research Agenda for Financial Inclusion and Microfinance, edited by Marek Hudon, Marc Labie and Ariane Szafarz, and forthcoming in 2019 with Elgar Research Publishing. This introductive article written by the editors explains how research in microfinance and financial inclusion evolved together with field practices. It identifies the four periods in the life of the microfinance sector that match four steps in research development: genesis, childhood, adolescence, and maturity. The article discusses whether this evolution could lead to a decline. Finally, it presents the monograph, which is organized along thematic groups of chapters. The titles of the four parts of the book are: “Framing research on microfinance and financial inclusion,” “Social, environmental and financial performance,” “Targets for financial inclusion,” and “Institutional and technological design.” Each chapter is written by scholars whose expertise on financial inclusion and microfinance is recognized internationally.