Ananya Roy

Ananya Roy is a Professor of Urban Planning and Social Welfare and inaugural Director of The Institute on Inequality and Democracy at UCLA's Luskin School of Public Affairs, holding the Meyer and Renee Luskin Chair in Inequality and Democracy. Previously, she served on the UC Berkeley faculty. Her work focuses on global South urbanization, poverty governance, and critical poverty studies, with a focus on land equity and marginalized populations.

Education: B.A. in Comparative Urban Studies from Mills College (1992), M.C.P. and Ph.D. in City and Regional Planning from UC Berkeley (1994, 1999).

Research emphasizes 'urban land question' dynamics in India and globally, exploring poor communities' resistance to evictions and advocacy for legal frameworks. She co-authored Poverty Capital: Microfinance and the Making of Development (winner of the 2011 Paul Davidoff Award) and edited Encountering Poverty. Current projects include digital media initiatives like the Challenge Inequality platform.

Recipient of prestigious teaching awards including UC Berkeley's Distinguished Teaching Award and Golden Apple Award, plus the California Professor of the Year honor. Active in academic leadership roles, including editorship of the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research.

Labs/Initiatives: Directs UCLA's Institute on Inequality and Democracy, focusing on global poverty and urban justice research. Engages in transnational collaborations to advance equitable urban policies and grassroots movements.