Neha Sami

Associate Dean – School of Environment and Sustainability
Senior Lead – Academics & Research | neha dot sami at iihs dot ac dot in
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EDUCATION:
2012    PhD, Urban and Regional Planning Taubman College of Architecture, University of Michigan Ann Arbor,

             United States of America
2004    MEM (Master of Environmental Management), Industrial & Urban Ecology Yale School of Forestry and

             Environmental Studies, Yale University New Haven, United States of America

                                     2002    MMS (Master of Management Studies), Finance Rizvi Institute of Management Studies, University of

                                                  Mumbai Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

                                     2000    BA (Honours), Economics St. Xavier’s College, University of Mumbai Mumbai, Maharashtra, India

Countries: India, United States
States: Karnataka, Maharashtra
Cities: Bengaluru, Pune
Languages: English, Hindi, Malayalam, Gujarati, Marathi, French

Neha Sami studies urban and regional development, and governance in post-liberalisation India. Her research focuses on the governance of infrastructure, especially mega-infrastructure in the context of post-liberalisation urban India. She also works on questions of environmental governance focussing on institutional analysis and state capacity. Her recent work has also looked at the political economy of higher education in urban studies. Her teaching at IIHS focuses on questions of governance and sustainability. Her writing on some of these issues have been published in Economic and Political Weekly, Environment & Urbanisation, Nature Water, the International Journal for Urban and Regional Research (IJURR) and Land Use Policy, as well as through contributions to several edited volumes. Neha is Associate Dean, IIHS School of Environment and Sustainability, and also anchors the IIHS Research Programme. She is a Board Member of the Research Committee 21 (RC21) on Sociology of Urban and Regional Development of the International Sociological Association and serves as a corresponding editor for the International Journal of Urban and Regional Research (IJURR). She holds a PhD in urban planning from the University of Michigan, a master’s degree in environmental management from the Yale School of the Environment and a bachelor’s degree in economics from the University of Mumbai. Prior to beginning graduate school at the University of Michigan, Neha worked with the Boston Redevelopment Authority as an analyst with the Economic Development Division, as well as with the Environment and Sustainable Development Division of the UN-ESCAP (Bangkok).

  • Built form, infrastructure and the environment, Climate change, Programme for Working Professionals in Urban Development (PWP-UD), IIHS

Journal Articles

  • Sami, N. (2024). Rethinking research practices from the Global South. Geogr. Helv., 79, 263–269, https://doi.org/10.5194/gh-79-263-2024
  • Quentin Grafton, R., Biswas, A. K., Bosch, H., Fanaian, S., Gupta, J., Revi, A., Sami, N., & Tortajada, C. (2023). Goals, progress and priorities from Mar del Plata in 1977 to New York in 2023. Nature Water, 1, 230-240. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-023-00041-4
  • Sami, N. (2023). Rethinking the research funding process: An Indian perspective. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 47(2), 312-317. https://doi.org/10.1111/1468-2427.13148
  • Sami, N., Lall, R., Anand, G., & Anand, S. (2022). Rethinking planning education for urban equality: Higher education as a site for change. Environment and Urbanization, 34(2), 413-429. https://doi.org/10.1177/09562478221113623
  • Koshy, N. S., Jagadeesh, K., Govindan, S., & Sami, N. (2021). Middlemen versus middlemen in agri-food supply chains in Bengaluru, India: Big data takes a byte. Geoforum, 127, 293-302. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoforum.2021.11.013
  • Schindler, S., Gillespie, T., Banks, N., Bayırbağ, M. K., Burte, H., Kanai, J. M., & Sami, N. (2020). Deindustrialization in cities of the Global South. Area Development and Policy, 5(3), 283-304.
  • Sami, N., and Anand, S. (2016). Scaling up, Scaling down: State rescaling along the Delhi-Mumbai Industrial Corridor. Economic & Political Weekly, 51(17), 50-58.
  • Anand, S., & Sami, N. (2015). Urban Corridors: Strategies for Economic and Urban Development (Working Paper: C-35117-INC-1).
  • Sami, N. (2013). From Farming to Development: Urban Coalitions in Pune, India. International Journal of Urban and Regional Research, 37(1), 151-164.
  • Loh, C. G., & Sami, N. (2013). Death of a Planning Department: Challenges for Regionalism in a Weak Mandate State. Land Use Policy, 32(0), 39-49.

 

Books/ Book Chapters

  • Sami, N., & Anand, S. (2024). Figures Plurielles De L’urbanisation Diffuse: Une mise en regard entre l’Asie et l’Europe = Manufacturing cities: Spatial planning and infrastructure development in urban India. In J. Idt, É. Monin, M. Pellegrino, A. Esposito, & A. Palmioli (Eds.), Figures Plurielles De L’urbanisation Diffuse: Une mise en regard entre l’Asie et l’Europe. l’œil d’or.
  • Shekhar, N., & Sami, N. (2023). Co-design as long-term process: Hasiru Dala, Bengaluru.  In A. Inam (Ed.), Co-designing publics  (pp. 44-53). ORO Editions.
  • Surie, A., Goswami, A., Arakali, A., Revi, A., Ravindranath, D., Bhan, G., Anand, G., Balakrishnan, K., Kapoor, N., Sami, N., Vasanth, P., Anand, S., Smitha, M. B., Viswanath, S., Baberwal, S., Mitra, S., Batikar, T., & John, V. (2023). Towards a new urban practice: The urban fellows programme 2016-2022. Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/9788195847303
  • Sami, N., & Anand, S. (2023). Scaling Up, scaling down: State rescaling along the Delhi–Mumbai industrial corridor. In A. Sood & L. Kennedy (Eds.), India’s greenfield urban future: The politics of land, planning and infrastructure (pp. 65-91). Orient BlackSwan.
  • Bhatikar, T., & Sami, N. (2021). Cities and regions in South Asia. In. A. M. Orum, J. Ruiz-Tagle, & S. V. Haddock (Eds.)., Companion to urban and regional studies (pp. 3-20) Wiley Blackwell.
  • Sami, N., & Anand, S. (2021). Expert Advice? Assessing the Role of the State in Promoting Privatized Planning. In C. Hurl, & A. Vogelpohl (Eds.), Professional service firms and politics in a global era (pp. 273-292). Palgrave Macmillan.
  • Bracken, G., Rabe, P. Parthasarathy, R.,  Sami, N., & Zhang, B. (2020). Future challenges of cities in Asia: An introduction. In G. Bracken, P. Rabé, R. Parthasarathy, N. Sami, & B. Zhang (Eds.), Future challenges of cities in Asia (pp. 13-23). Amsterdam University Press.
  • Bracken, G., Rabé, P., Parthasarathy, R., Sami, N., & Zhang, B. (Eds.). (2020). Future challenges of cities in Asia. Netherlands: Amsterdam University Press.
  • Sami, N. (2018). Localising environmental governance in India: Mapping urban institutional structures. In A. Luque-Ayala, H. A. Bulkeley & S. Marvin. (Eds.), Rethinking urban transitions: Politics in the low carbon city (pp. 164-181).  London, UK: Routledge.
  • Sami, N. (2018). Multi-level climate change planning: Scale, capacity, and the ability for local action. In S. Moloney, H. Funfgeld & M. Granberg (Eds.), Local action on climate change: Opportunities and constraints (pp. 92-110). London: Routledge.
  • Sami, N. (2017). Learning by Doing: Urban Planning in Bangalore. In: Vidyarthi, S., Mathur, S. & Agrawal, S. (Eds.), Understanding India’s New Approach to Spatial Planning and Development: A Salient Shift? (pp. 90-113). New Delhi: Oxford University Press.
  • Sami, N., Singh, C., & Bazaz, A. (2016). Climate change policy in India and Goal 13. In Urban policy dialogues: Operationalising SDGs. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. doi.org/10.24943/updsdg2016_1
  • Jana, A., Malladi, T., Anand, S., Koduganti, J., Raju, M. J. S., & Sami, N. (2015). In A. Revi (Ed.), Urban economy. Urban India 2015: Evidence. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Revi, A., Jana, A., Malladi, T., Anand, G., Anand, S., Bazaz, A., . . . Shah, S. (2015). Urban India 2015: Evidence. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • Sami, N. (2014). Power to the People? A study of Bangalore’s Urban Task Forces. In Shatkin, G. (Ed.), Contesting the Indian City: Global Visions and the Politics of the Local. West Sussex, UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Weinstein, L., Sami, N., & Shatkin, G. (2014). Contested Developments: Enduring Legacies and Urban India. In Shatkin, G. (Ed.), Contesting the Indian city: Global Visions and the Policies of the Local (pp.39-64). West Sussex, UK: Wiley Blackwell.
  • Revi, A. & N. Sami (2013). Social Science Research and Global Environmental Change in India and South Asia. In ISSC and UNESCO, World Social Science Report 2013: Changing Global Environments (pp. 198-206). Paris: OECD Publishing/UNESCO Publishing.

 

Other Writing

  • Bazaz, A., Arakali, A., Revi, A., Bhan, G., Gulabani, H., Balakrishnan, K., Kapoor, N., Sami, N., Bhor, N., Pattela, O. N., Beleyur, P. R., Anand, S., Mitra, S., Bhatikar, T., John, V., Duque, J. C., Keith, M., Parnell, S., Tucker, A., & Govil, S. (2023). Maximising the benefits of India’s urban transformation: Local evidence synthesis report. PEAK Urban. https://www.peak-urban.org/India-Synthesis-Report
  • Grafton, Q., Gupta, J., Revi, A., Mazzucato, M., Okonjo-Iewala, N., Rockström, J., Shanmugaratnam, T., Aki-Sawyerr, Y., Bárcena Ibarra, A., Cantrell, L., Espinosa, M. F., Ghosh, A., Ishii, N., Jintiach, J. C., Qui, B., Ramphele, M., Urrego, M. R., Serageldin, I., Damania, R., … Réalé, I. (2023). The what, why and how of the world water crisis: Global Commission on the Economics of Water phase 1 review and findings. https://doi.org/10.25911/GC7J-QM22
  • Revi, A., Ray, M., Mitra, S., Anand, S., Sami, N., & Malladi, T. (2020). Report to the XV finance commission on the potential of urbanisation to accelerate Post-COVID economic recovery. Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • 2017 Surie, A., & Neha S. (2017). The urban food system of Bengaluru, India. Cape Town, South Africa: Hungry Cities Partnership, University of Cape Town.
  • 2016 Sami, N. (2016). Can peri-urban development choose partnerships over displacement? IIHS Case No. 1-0006. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/1-0006
  • 2015 Anand, S., & Sami, N. (2015). Urban corridors: Strategies for economic and urban development (Working Paper: C-35117-INC-1). London: International Growth Centre.
  • 2016 Spaces of Exception
  • 2016 Bangalore’s Food Systems
  • 2016 Anand, S., & Sami, N. (2016, Forthcoming). Industrial Corridors and Urbanisation: Learnings from the DMIC.
  • Sami, N., Singh, C., & Bazaz, A. (2016). Climate change policy in India and Goal 13. In Urban policy dialogues: Operationalising SDGs. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. doi.org/10.24943/updsdg2016_1
  • 2015 States of Development: Does Infrastructure Planning Reinforce Trajectories of Inequality?
  • 2015 Anand, S., Arakali, A., Jana, A., Koduganti, J. & Sami, N. (2015). Manufacturing Cities: Industrial Policy and Urban Growth. (IIHS-RF Paper on Manufacturing Cities).  Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • 2015 Evading the Hierarchy: Top-Down Structure and Climate Change Adaptation in Indian Cities
  • 2014 Revi, A., Jain, G., & Sami, N. (2014). Bangalore, India: Sustainable cities initiative city report. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements. https://doi.org/10.24943/scicr.bangalore.2014
  • 2013 Economic Planning and Urban Growth: RF Urban Policy Partnership
  • 2013 Forthcoming, Economic planning and urban growth: RF Urban Policy Partnership
  • 2013 Case for Re-framing Urban Inclusion on Magarpatta City, Pune
  • 2012-13 Future Proofing Indian Cities (FPIC): Bangalore Urban Diagnostic, Fieldwork Report & Action Plan
  • 2012 Building Alliances: Power and Politics in urban India
  • 2011 Sami, N. (2011). The Political Economy of Urban Land in India: Key Issues. Bangalore: Indian Institute for Human Settlements.
  • 2006 Local Labour for Global Exhibition – How the Rise of Construction in Preparation for the 2010 World Exposition Has Affected the Rural-Urban Migrant Population of Shanghai

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  • Sami, N., Lall, R., & Anand, S. (2022). Building Knowledge: The challenges of creating a ‘Southern’ frame for urban planning pedagogy. In T. Maloutas., & P. Koutrolikou (Eds.), RC21 Conference Ordinary Cities in Exceptional Times (p. 21). Harokopeio University, Athens. https://az659834.vo.msecnd.net/eventsairwesteuprod/production-pcoconvin-public/c8fe34fbd5e8430b8a304b35ffb6a5bc
  • Anand, S., & Sami, N. (2021). Disjunct realities: The imaginaries of mega-infrastructure projects. In S. Oosterlynck, E. Van Wymeersch, F.  Laoukili, M. Van Dam, & K. Boven (Eds.), RC21 Conference Sensing the City : Place, People, Power (p. 47). University of Antwerp, Belgium. https://medialibrary.uantwerpen.be/files/3713/d4a97a7e-6ba6-4221-b9b4-92c4de1983d5.pdf?_ga=2.2087863.749645352.1628689006-110507554.1628689006
  • Anand, S., & Sami, N. (2016, July). Apples and Oranges: Inter-regional Comparisons within India. Paper presented at the RC21 International Conference on the transgressive city: comparative perspectives on governance and the possibilities of everyday life in the emerging global city. Mexico: El Colegio De México.
  • Neha, S. & Shriya A. (2015).  Manufacturing Cities: Industrial Policy and Urban Planning in India.  Paper presented at the RC21 International Conference on The ideal city: between myth and reality. Representations, policies, contradictions and challenges for tomorrow’s urban life, Urbino, Italy, 27-29 August. Urbino: RC21 – Research Committee on Urban and Regional Development.
  • Power to the People? A study of Bangalore’s urban taskforces: Invited talk, Centre for Policy Research, New Delhi, 2014 January 31.
  • Anand, S. & Sami, N. (2014). Scaling up: Land Use and Economic Development in India’s urban corridors. Paper presented at the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning 2014 Big Ideas, Global Impacts Conference, October 29 – November 2, 2014, Philadelphia, PA.
  • Who Develops: The Role of Urban Coalitions in India’, Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning Annual Meeting, Minneapolis, October 7-10, 2010.
  • ‘Personal Connections: Urban coalitions in Bangalore’, ‘Contesting The Indian City: State, Space, And Citizenship In The Global Era’, Interdisciplinary Workshop on the Indian city, Centre for Studies in the Social Sciences, Kolkata, India, sponsored by the Center for South Asian Studies, University of Michigan & the Trehan India Initiative, March 5-6, 2010
  • ‘From Farming to Development: An Alternative Approach to Real Estate Development in Pune, India’, International Sociological Association RC21 Annual Conference, Sao Paulo, Brazil, August 23-25, 2009.
  • ‘Local Labor for Global Exhibition – How the Rise of Construction in Preparation for the 2010 World Exposition Has Affected the Rural-Urban Migrant Population of Shanghai’ (Joint work with Charles Garcia and Alexander Jacobsen). Outstanding Paper Award, Urban Development and Planning in China: China Planning Network (CPN) 3rd Annual Conference, Beijing, China, June 14-16, 2006.
  • Adaptation at Scale in Semi-Arid Regions (ASSAR)—Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA)
  • Chief Minister of Rajasthan’s Economic Transformation Advisory Council (CMRETAC): Urban Transitions
  • Cities as Engines of Growth
  • Co-designing Publics, (Re)Producing the Public Realm via Informal Urbanisms in Cities of the Global South
  • Future-Proofing Indian Cities
  • Global Commision on the Economics of Water (GCEW)
  • Greening Urban Food Systems: Building Sustainable Urban Agriculture Practices in Bengaluru through Nature-Based Solutions
  • How Urban is India?
  • Hungry Cities Partnership
  • Knowledge in Action for Urban Equality (KNOW) Consortium
  • Sustainable Cities
  • PEAK Urban
  • PEAK Urban: Manufacturing Cities: The Planning, Building, and Governing of Industrial Infrastructure in the Bangalore Metropolitan Region
  • Report to the XV Finance Commission: The Potential of Urbanisation to Accelerate Post-COVID Economic Recovery: