Celebrating Dr. Wara Urwasi's Dissertation Defense: A Triumph in Urban Sociology
Dr. Wara Urwasi, a Northwestern University Arryman Scholar, successfully defended her dissertation, marking the culmination of years of dedicated research. The Arryman Program aims to make a major contribution to higher education in Indonesia by training new young scholars in the social sciences at Northwestern University.
Dr. Urwasi’s work delves into the intricate relationship between state policies and urban poverty, focusing on state responses to informal settlements, those often-overlooked pockets of urban life where marginalized communities reside. Through empirical rigor and theoretical incisiveness, she dissects the mechanisms that perpetuate inequality within these settlements, seeking to answer the question of “what factors contribute to the various approaches to informality, and when and why do local authorities resort to repressive measures instead of non-intervention or accommodation of the urban poor’s demand?”
Mary Patillo, Chair of Dr. Urwasi's dissertation committee, expressed her admiration for the work. "I was honored to chair Wara’s dissertation committee," Patillo said. "She has been an ambitious and brilliant student from the start of the program, and the dissertation was no less impressive." Patillo commended the comprehensive nature of the analysis, emphasizing its empirical robustness and theoretical depth.
Dr. Urwasi's journey began with a passion for urban sociology, politics, and architecture. Before coming to Northwestern, she did graduate studies in India. Her research interests spanned cultural sociology, comparative methods, and inequality. As she navigated the complexities of state governance and poverty, she received guidance from her dissertation committee “who provided me with invaluable feedback, which motivated me to develop my project further,” she reflected.
Now, as a postdoctoral research fellow at the Institute for Advanced Research (IFAR) at Monash University in Indonesia, Dr. Urwasi plans to convert her dissertation into impactful publications. Her commitment to expanding research on urban sociology and politics in the Global South promises to shape future scholarship and policy decisions.
Dr. Urwasi's successful defense will contribute important new knowledge on approaches to fostering more equitable urban landscapes for scholars policymakers. Her work reminds us that cities are not mere physical spaces; they are vibrant ecosystems where social justice battles unfold daily.