Ipshita Basu

Dr. Ipshita Basu is a Senior Lecturer in International Relations at the University of Westminster, specializing in political sociology with a focus on just development for marginalized communities in climate-vulnerable environments across South Asia. Her research spans Planetary Health, Indigenous struggles, digital governance, and caste/race dynamics in Bangladesh, India, and Sri Lanka.

• PhD in International Development from the University of Bath (2010)
• Former Lecturer at the University of Surrey and Head of Research at BRAC's Institute of Governance and Development

Her groundbreaking work includes the book Reclaiming Indigeneity and Democracy in India's Jharkhand (OUP) and the British Academy-funded project on Planetary Health in India's Western Ghats and Saranda forests. As a decolonial education advocate, she co-led the Pedagogies for Social Justice Project and organizes community-driven research dialogues.

Notable contributions:

• British Academy-funded research on Planetary Health
• FCDO grant for digitized futures accountability in Bangladesh
• Active supervision of PhD research on Adivasi identity and Bangladeshi democracy

She teaches modules on Democracy and Development in Asia/Africa, NGO learning in international contexts, and Just Development Futures. Her work emphasizes emic methodologies, institutional accountability, and anti-racist pedagogies.