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Ipshita Basu

I am a political sociologist and my primary area of research over the last 10 years has been on the politics of identity, representation and violence in relation to development and governance. I believe that good research should make a social impact and I have taken inspiration from and evolved through connections with academic, practical and policy spheres.

Soon after completing my PhD in International Development from the University of Bath in 2010 I joined BRAC University’s Institute of Governance Studies (now called Institute of Governance and Development) as their Head of Research between 2010-2012. I was steering the IDRC’s Think Tank Initiative programme and during my tenure I led the research team on the publication of the first and very influential State of Cities report on Dhaka. In 2012, I joined the University of Surrey’s Department of Politics where I was engaged with the Centre for Critical Research on International Intervention. I came to the U.K. for the first time in 2001 to study for a Master’s in Gender Studies at the University of Warwick, returned to India to work as a journalist and then a scholarship brought me back to the U.K. in 2004 for an M.Res and Phd in International Development. At present, I am settled in the U.K. but like most cosmopolitan migrants I remain connected with my peers in India, Bangladesh and the rest of South Asia.

Modi fights to strengthen his hand in India’s state elections

May 06, 2016 08:01 am UTC| Insights & Views Politics

Elections to the state legislative assemblies have just got underway in India. Throughout April and May, voters in five of the countrys 29 states will nominate representatives to the countrys Upper House of Parliament. And...

Economy

U.S. Job Market Braces for Slow Recovery Amid Middle East Tensions and Economic Uncertainty

The U.S. labor market is expected to post modest gains in March, recovering from Februarys sharp drop of 92,000 jobs, but persistent headwinds are keeping economists cautious. A Reuters poll forecasts nonfarm payrolls...

Bank of Japan Eyes Further Rate Hikes Amid Middle East Tensions and Inflation Pressures

A senior Bank of Japan official reaffirmed the central banks commitment to continuing its interest rate hike cycle, while closely monitoring how the ongoing Middle East conflict is shaping Japans economic outlook and...

Japan Signals Readiness to Intervene as Yen Weakens Toward 160 Per Dollar

Japanese Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama issued a stern warning to currency traders on Friday, signaling that Tokyo is prepared to take decisive action against what officials describe as speculative behavior driving...

China's Services Sector Maintains Growth Streak Despite March Slowdown

Chinas services industry continued to expand in March, though at a notably slower pace, as weakening demand and ongoing workforce reductions tempered activity across the sector. According to the latest RatingDog Services...

U.S. Stock Futures Stabilize Ahead of Good Friday as Investors Eye Jobs Report

U.S. stock index futures held steady Thursday evening as markets entered a cautious holding pattern before the Good Friday holiday closure, with traders weighing Middle East tensions and positioning ahead of a critical...

Politics

Trump Threatens Expanded Military Strikes on Iran, Targeting Bridges and Power Plants

President Donald Trump escalated his military rhetoric against Iran late Thursday in a Truth Social post, warning that U.S. forces could begin striking critical infrastructure including bridges and electrical power plants...

UN Security Council to Vote on Strait of Hormuz Shipping Resolution Amid China Opposition

The United Nations Security Council is preparing to vote Saturday on a Bahraini-led resolution aimed at protecting commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, a critical global oil transit route that has been...

Microsoft's $10 Billion Japan Investment: AI Infrastructure and Data Sovereignty Push

Microsoft is set to pour approximately $10 billion into Japan between now and 2029, channeling funds into data center expansion and artificial intelligence infrastructure to meet the countrys growing demand for data...

U.S. Strikes on Iran Draw War Crimes Warnings from International Law Scholars

More than 100 international law experts from leading American universities, including Harvard, Yale, Stanford, and the University of California, have signed an open letter warning that U.S. military strikes on Iran may...

UN Confirms Sexual Exploitation Allegations Against Haiti Security Force Members

A United Nations report has confirmed that four allegations of sexual exploitation and abuse committed by members of a UN-backed security force operating in Haiti were substantiated following formal investigations. The...

Science

NASA Artemis II: First Crewed Moon Mission Since Apollo Takes Four Astronauts on 10-Day Lunar Journey

NASAs Artemis II mission launched Wednesday, marking humanitys return to crewed lunar exploration for the first time since the Apollo era. Carrying four astronauts aboard the Orion spacecraft, this historic 10-day mission...

NASA's Artemis II Mission: First Crewed Lunar Journey Since Apollo

NASA's Artemis II Crew Arrives in Florida for Historic Moon Mission

The four astronauts chosen for NASAs Artemis II mission have touched down at Kennedy Space Center in Florida, marking the beginning of final launch preparations for the first crewed lunar journey in over 50 years. NASA...

SpaceX Pivots Toward Moon City as Musk Reframes Long-Term Space Vision

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has revealed a significant shift in the companys near-term space exploration strategy, announcing that SpaceX is now prioritizing the development of a self-growing city on the Moon rather than focusing...

SpaceX Prioritizes Moon Mission Before Mars as Starship Development Accelerates

Elon Musks SpaceX is shifting its near-term space exploration strategy, choosing to prioritize a return to the Moon before pursuing missions to Mars, according to a recent Wall Street Journal report citing sources familiar...

Technology

Australia's Social Media Ban for Under-16s Sparks Global Movement

Australias landmark social media ban for users under 16, which took effect in December, is reshaping digital policy conversations worldwide. Countries including Spain and Malaysia have signaled interest in adopting similar...

SpaceX Eyes Historic IPO at $1.75 Trillion Valuation

Elon Musks aerospace giant SpaceX has quietly filed a confidential IPO registration with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission, according to Bloomberg News sources familiar with the matter. The move signals that the...

Annie Altman Amends Sexual Abuse Lawsuit Against OpenAI CEO Sam Altman

Annie Altman has filed an amended civil lawsuit against her brother, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, accusing him of sexually abusing her over a span of nearly a decade. The amended complaint was submitted Wednesday in St. Louis...

TSMC Japan's Second Fab to Produce 3nm Chips by 2028

Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Company (TSMC), the worlds leading contract chipmaker, has confirmed plans to begin equipment installation and mass production of 3-nanometre wafers at its second fabrication plant in...

Apple Turns 50: From Garage Startup to AI Crossroads

In early 1976, engineer Steve Wozniak finished designing a computer circuit board he planned to share with fellow hobbyists at a local California tech club. His friend Steve Jobs recognized a commercial opportunity, and...