Socio‐economic factors determining adult literacy in developing countries

Abstract

Purpose

This study attempts to find the socio‐economic factors behind the differential achievement level in adult literacy in developing countries.

Design/methodology/approach

Considers a number of theories. These include modernization theory, dependency/world systems theory, developmental state theory, new human ecology theory and convergence‐divergence theory as an explanation of the differential level of adult literacy rate.

Findings

The findings reveal the importance of the initial level of adult literacy and the population growth. Similarly short‐term economic growth has a significant impact on the initial level of adult literacy, and the medium human development and low human development samples

Originality/value

This attempt to find the factors behind adult literacy is of importance not only as a constituent indicator of the human development index, but also through its various contributions towards economic growth.

Citation

Mazumdar, K. (2005), "Socio‐economic factors determining adult literacy in developing countries", International Journal of Social Economics, Vol. 32 No. 1/2, pp. 98-120. https://doi.org/10.1108/03068290510575667