Amid a torrent of claims and counter-claims about the pros and cons of globalization, this book takes a critical look at the actors, institutions and processes that mediate the relationship between the forces of globalization and the poverty experienced by the majority of the world's people. Drawing out dimensions often neglected in these debates, the contributors and editors emphasize three key facets of globalization: * the gender inequalities at the heart of any consideration of development and poverty * its relationship to processes of environmental degradation and the movements that have emerged to challege them * the crucial role of micro-actors including small-scale producers and enterprises These themes are explored through a structured enquiry beginning in Part I with an examination of the consequences of globalization including environmental change, intellectual property rights and global trade. Part II looks at the shifting roles of key development actors on the global stage, including firms, NGOs and international institutions. Part III considers the ways in which processes of globalization are being contested and reconfigured by a range of social movements and organized groups to harness them to the goal of poverty elimination. The chapters in this important book clearly demonstrate that globalization is a process with repercussions that extend far beyond the power centers of the North where global economic policies are formulated. The book will be of interest to researchers, practitioner and activists in development.