Department: Political Science
Inclusive Democracy and Development (ID2) Lab
Unmet needs of marginalized groups, namely women and tribal groups, in Madhya Pradesh, India: My summer fieldwork will explore formal and informal systems of governance between local communities and Panchayat leadership. Specifically we explore if creating ties between women’s self-help groups (SHGs) and local elected representatives mobilize greater participation by female citizens and create bottom-up pressure for greater accountability and responsiveness to women’s preferences in local governments. I’ll be using qualitative methods — including attending focus groups and community meetings, conducting expert and non-expert interviews, and directing other forms of immersion — to understand the mechanisms that link community needs, women’s collective action, representation in government, and subsequent outcomes of formal political participation and advocacy. Potential insights diversify existing research by honing in on those most affected by governmental absence or underperformance, and can explain th