Dr. Ritanjan Das is a university lecturer in contemporary South Asian politics at the Leiden Institute of Area Studies. His primary research and teaching interests are in the fields of political economy of development and political anthropology in India and South Asia. He has conducted extensive ethnographic research in various parts of South Asia for almost two decades, and published on different facets of development politics and socio-economic inequality in the region. His most recent work explores expressions of marginality, politics of citizenship, space & identity, land dispossession & displacement, urban politics, gender & social welfare, and political dynasticism. He has published in leading international journals such as the Journal of Peasant Studies, World Development, Critical Asian Studies, Journal of Contemporary Asia, etc. He has authored two books: ‘The Politics of Community-making in New Urban India’ (2023; co-authored) and ‘Neoliberalism and the Transforming Left in India’ (2018). Dr. Das received a PhD in Development Studies from the London School of Economics and Political Science in 2013. Prior to joining Leiden University, he was a Senior Lecturer in Development Economics at the University of Portsmouth, UK. He is a Fellow of the UK Higher Education Academy, and an editorial board member of the journal Asiascape: Digital Asia.

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Fields of interest

My primary research interest is in the intersectional domain of development politics, political economy and different forms of inequality in the global South, especially India and South Asia. I have explored this area by investigating broad and diverse themes such as urban politics, illiberalism, politics of space and identity, political dynasticism, social welfare, citizenship and migration, land dispossession and displacement, neoliberal governmentality, and communist politics. I have written on various facets of the political economy of development in contemporary India, using ethnographic, archival as well as mixed-methods research. My most recent work explores everyday expressions of marginality, non-state sovereignty, and different notions of belonging. I am currently working on several research projects on gender and education, political factionalism, religious urbanism, and a book on colonial history using personal archives. My most recent book is ‘The Politics of Community-making in New Urban India: Illiberal Spaces, Illiberal Cities’ (Routledge, 2023). Alongside my research, I also regularly contribute op-ed pieces to different South Asia-centric blogs and media platforms. 

Supervison

I am willing to supervise MA students on projects concerning any topic related to contemporary politics in India and South Asia. For PhD projects, I particularly welcome those interested in development politics and political economy of South Asia, as well as questions of identity, nationalism, democracy, party-politics and contemporary social and political history of the region.

Research

The following is a brief description of my ongoing research projects.

1. Factionalism in South Asian Politics: a comparative study of factional politics in South Asian regional political parties. 
2. Sub-national Sovereignty and Spatial Governmentality in Urban India (with Nilotpal Kumar, Azim Premji University, India): a comparative analysis of the functioning and power dynamics of contrasting forms of sub-state sovereign agents in urban India.
3. Gender, Development and Democracy:  a collaborative project (with colleagues from various UK, Dutch and Indian universities) studying the impact of social welfare schemes on gender inequality, empowerment and democratisation in South Asia.  
4. The Political Economy of Religious Urbanism in South Asia: a comparative project to explore the political economy of post-secular forms of religious urbanism across South Asian cities, especially in India and Myanmar. 

Grants and awards

• Fellowship, UK Higher Education Academy, 2023.
• Best research output award for the book ‘Neoliberalism and the Transformative Left in India’, University of Portsmouth 2019.
• Research Grant for a project as part of the Emancipatory Rural Politics Initiative, International Institute of Social Studies (Netherlands), 2017-2018.
• Research Project Fund Award, University of Portsmouth, 2017.  
• The Sir Richard Stapley Educational Trust Grants (2008-2010).
• Central Research Fund Award, University of London (2008-2009).
• Research Studentship Awards, London School of Economics and Political Science (2005-2010).

CV

Education
PhD in Development Studies, London School of Economics and Political Science (2013).

PGCert in Learning and Teaching in Higher Education, University of Portsmouth (2005).

MSc in Information Systems, London School of Economics and Political Science (2003).

Masters in Information Technology, Manipal Academy of Higher Education, India (2003).

BSc in Information Systems Management, University of London External Programme, London School of Economics and Political Science (2002).

Diploma in Economics, University of London External Programme, London School of Economics and Political Science (2000)

Employment
University lecturer in contemporary South Asian politics, Leiden University Institute of Area Studies (since 2023)

Senior lecturer in development studies, University of Portsmouth, UK (2005-2023)

Lecturer in information systems, University of Portsmouth, UK (2003-2005).

Selected publications

Authored Books
The Politics of Community-making in New Urban India: Illiberal Spaces, Illiberal Cities (Routledge, 2023; co-authored).

Neoliberalism and the Transforming Left in India: A Contradictory Manifesto (Routledge, 2018).

Publications