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Ahaana Ma­hanti

Postdoc

Emner
Projektledelse Bæredygtighed Non-profit Partnerskab Socialt ansvar Verdensmål

Primary research areas

Cross-sector Partnerships

Investigating the mechanisms by which donors, businesses, NGOs and rural communities collaborate to realize global SDGs (specifically SDG 6 and SDG 14) at the local level.

Corporate Social Responsibility

How CSR projects can be leveraged as a tool to realize pertinent SDGs for marginalized communities.

Non-governmental organizations

The role of local NGOs beyond service delivery, and as active agents in navigating power dynamics and administrative and infrastructural deficits and ensuring sustained outcomes for marginalized communities when states recede and donor funding stops.

Rural communities

Communities are not just passive beneficiaries of service delivery projects and adopt an active role in development interventions.

Place-based approaches

Place is not just a geographical location but also a social construct with its own history and power relations. Global South NGOs can use different place-based approaches to adapt development models to the local needs of the communities.

I question seemingly invisible power dynamics in the sustainability discourse

My research helps understand 

- How SDG 6 (clean water & sanitation) and SDG 10 (reduced inequalities) are realized and translated into sustained outcomes for remote Indian communities amidst active or passive involvement of the state and irregular donor funding.  

- The mediating roles of local NGOs in development projects. Focusing on a decade-long Danish Foundation funded water access initiative, I look into the roles of local NGOs in cross-sector partnership projects beyond their capacities as implementation partners but as active agents in navigating power dynamics, fragmented local governance structures, infrastructural deficits and complex social dynamics like caste and gender hierarchies. 

- How place-based dynamics feed into the success or failure of such service delivery projects 

Interests and exploration 

I love putting together case studies, teaching and moderating classroom discussions around important topics like sustainable development. Additionally I am also exploring alternative ways (beyond journal articles) to do impactful research as a way to give back to stakeholders that contribute to my research and to connect with a non-academic audience.

Recent research projects

Opportunities to Scale Climate Technologies in India

This white paper examines the factors that contribute to or hinder the scaling of climate technologies in India. It focuses on four key sectors and presents case studies of emerging climate technologies within these sectors that address specific environmental and social challenges in the country. These case studies demonstrate the potential for financing mechanisms to provide access to low-cost capital and support India's net zero ambitions. It explores the challenges and opportunities associated with achieving net-zero emissions in India while addressing socio-economic concerns. It emphasises the need for scalable climate technologies and increased private sector investment to decouple economic growth from emissions.
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