Uttara Narayan
Doctor of Philosophy candidate
Human Geography
Biography
I am pursuing a PhD in Human Geography as part of the dual-award programme between the University of Manchester and University of Melbourne. I am supervised by Sangeetha Chandra-Shekeran and Ilan Wiesel (at the University of Melbourne) and Stefan Bouzarovski and Rob Bellamy (at the University of Manchester).
My research is motivated by the question of who is rendered the subject of decarbonisation. Consequently, what are its implications for inequalities and what is the responsibility of the state in addressing these inequalities. I seek to understand this within the intersecting crises concerning energy, housing and the cost of living by focusing on residential decarbonisation amidst tenure insecurity in England. My research is a combination of qualitative methods that include, critical policy analysis, institutional interviews and participatory action research.
My commitment to participatory action research is influenced by my previous role as Researcher (Racial Justice and Energy Demand) at the Environmental Change Institute, University of Oxford until 2024. At the ECI, I was involved in two projects--REPAIR as a joint-PI (flex fund project) and CREDS as a researcher. In CREDS, I developed a research agenda drawing upon Critical Race Theory for energy researchers to engage with racialisation, and in REPAIR, I conducted community-led participatory action research in collaboration with Oxford Community Action to understand immigrant residents' energy hardships in East Oxford. Prior to that, I worked at the World Resources Institute on the scope for just energy transitions in the context of utility-scale solar park deployment, the potential of renewable energy supply chains to become 'responsible', and sub-national electricity governance in India. I was also involved in contributing to the development of the Energy Access Explorer for the Indian state of Jharkhand.
I also recognise teaching as an important learning opportunity. Between 2023 and 2026, I have delivered guest lectures on critiquing energy justice and just transitions and understanding the power relations with respect to energy systems on the MSc Environmental Change Management and MSc Energy Systems programmes at the University of Oxford. During this time, I also had the opportunity to supervise two Master's dissertation projects on the political economy of renewable energy deployment in oil-dependent territories and gendered consequences of the clean energy transition. At the University of Manchester, I have been a teaching assistant (seminars) on the following courses:
GEOG30621 Critical Geographies of Difference
GEOG70931 Climate Emergency, Technology and Society
GEOG21242 Nature, Society and Social Power
I hold an intergrated MA in Development Studies from the Indian Institute of Technology, Madras, and an MPP from the Blavatnik School of Government, University of Oxford. I pursued the latter with support from the Chevening and Weidenfeld Hoffman Trust Scholarships.
Thesis
The paradoxes of residential decarbonisation inequalities in England: Securing equitable decarbonisation amidst housing tenure insecurity
My research is motivated by the question of who is rendered the subject of decarbonisation. Consequently, what are its implications for inequalities and what is the responsibility of the state in addressing these inequalities. I seek to understand this within the intersecting crises concerning energy, housing and the cost of living by focusing on residential decarbonisation amidst tenure insecurity in England. My research is a combination of qualitative methods that include, critical policy analysis, institutional interviews and participatory action research.
Contact
- Email uttara.narayan@student.unimelb.edu.au
- ORCID Profile ORCID