Manchester social scientist elected member of National Academy of Italy

08 Aug 2016

Professor Bina Agarwal is the second woman and the second Indian to be elected to this prestigious body

Bina, who is Professor of Development Economics and Environment at the Global Development Institute, has been elected foreign member of the Accademia Nazionale dei Lincei (National Academy of Sciences, Italy) in the social and political sciences. She is only the second woman and the second Indian (after Amartya Sen) to be elected to this prestigious body, in the entire field of "moral sciences". The Academy, founded in 1603, is the oldest scientific academy in the world. Galileo Galilei was among its first members. 

Alberto Quadrio-Curzio, President of the Accademia dei Lincei, said: "Professor Agarwal has been elected for her fundamental contributions in explaining the impact that gender equality can have on sustainable development, human progress, and environmental protection. Highly qualified in the economic and social sciences, she has also advised the Government of India and the UN, and promoted a campaign for the amendment of India’s inheritance laws to make them gender-equal, which led to the passing of the Hindu Succession (Amendment) Act 2005. For all of these reasons, she deserves much recognition for her innovative contributions to political economy and the social sciences."