Institute of Development Studies

Biography

Thesis Title: Operation of Social Power and Politics in Climate Change Adaptation Initiatives in India.

Research Topic: The proposed research intends to investigate the political forces and the operation of social power that impact climate change adaptation initiatives in India. This is to determine which individuals/social groups/institutions/networks emerge as influential in the development and execution of these initiatives. The research encompasses the extensive review of theories of social power and literature on the politics of policy processes. This will form the foundation for ethnographic research that will employ first hand observation of any active projects and/or discussions (i.e. interviews, focus groups, etc.) with all relevant stakeholders in a climate change adaptation policy. The analysis of this interaction of ethnographic research with the reviewed theories will facilitate the improvement of current and future climate change adaptation initiatives and shed light on methods of making them more equitable.

General Research Interests and Experience: Climate change adaptation, social development and public health. Worked with the British Red Cross, the Red Cross/Red Crescent Climate Centre, Christian Aid, the International Fund for Agriculture and Development, Grameen Phone and the Institute of Development Studies, UK. I am currently involved in a project with a large private foundation to develop a multi-year, global plan aimed at ensuring that the findings of a research project on family planning and climate change mitigation are incorporated in the national health and environment policies of countries around the world. I am also helping design and execute a communications plan to share learning from a project that aims at improving maternal and neonatal health in parts of North and Central India.

Thematic Expertise

Climate Change; Vulnerability and Resilience.

Selected Publications »»

• Harris, K. and Bahadur, A. (2011) 'Harnessing Synergies: Mainstreaming Climate Change Adaptation in Disaster Risk Reduction Programmes and Policies' , Brighton: IDS
• Bahadur, A., Ibrahim, M. and Tanner, T.M. (2010) 'The Resilience Renaissance? Unpacking of Resilience for Tackling Climate Change and Disasters' 1, Brighton: IDS