Namira Samir

Namira Samir is a PhD Candidate in Development Policy & Management at The University of Manchester. Her PhD research entitled "Credit, Capabilities, and the Market" looks at how the capabilities of low-income individuals, most of whom are credit borrowers, are associated with market activities. She operationalises Amartya Sen (1999)'s capability approach as the conceptual framework underpinning her dissertation. Namira's PhD research is interdisciplinary by nature. It intersects with gender, informality, and political economy. 

Namira is passionate about researching and alleviating poverty and inequalities. Her opinions and commentaries have been featured in a number of national and international outlets.

As a development economist, Namira uses an interdisciplinary approach and mixed methods to understand poverty and inequalities. She has been working on poverty studies since 2017. Previously, she worked as a Researcher at the National Team for the Acceleration of Poverty Reduction (TNP2K), Office of the Vice President of Indonesia. During my term of office, Namira studied the impact of Pro-Poor Budgeting on Poverty Reduction in 5 provinces in Indonesia. The results were documented in a book titled “Grounding Local Initiatives for Poverty Reduction Efforts.” Namira also served as a Research Fellow at the Central Bank of Indonesia and concurrently as a Consultant for UNDP Indonesia, in which she worked on national and international-level poverty alleviation projects.

Labour, Informality, Gender Equality, Feminist Economics, Poverty and Inequality, Welfare, Ethics

In 2021, Namira established The Justice Institute (JUSTIN) (thejustin.org) — a platform created to produce and disseminate authoritative writing and analysis on global social justice affairs.

Books                                                                           

Grounding Local Initiatives for Poverty Reduction Efforts (in Indonesian), The National Team for The Acceleration of Poverty Reduction, Vice President’s Office, Indonesia, 30 April 2019

Selected Opinion Articles

Is Metaverse a New Threat to Higher Education?, 22 Jan 22, The Jakarta Post

Aliens In Their Own Land: COVID-19 and Economic Exclusion, 10 May 2021, The Justice Institute (JUSTIN) (also re-published by LSE Blog)

Data Innovation and the Informal Economy: A Capability Approach Narrative, January 2021, Mondopoli

Pandemic Showcases Indonesia's Systemic Gender Inequality, 16 Dec 2020, The Jakarta Post

Prisoners of Identity, Nov-Dec 2020 Edition of The World Financial Review

Growth that Celebrates Inequality, Sep-Oct 2020 Edition of The World Financial Review

The Disparity of Gig Economy and Rural-Urban Poverty, 15 Sep 2020, The Jakarta Post

Economic Heroes in time of Coronavirus, 27 Mar 2020, The Jakarta Post

Hidden Lesson About Poverty and Pride from Parasite, 20 Feb 2020, The Jakarta Post

Caveats in Multidimensional Poverty Index, 17 Dec 2019, The Jakarta Post

We Need  More Than Gender-Responsive Budgeting, 13 Jul 2019, The Jakarta Post

Minding the Poverty Gap in Indonesia with Geography,  25 Mar 2019, The Jakarta Post

Starting from the bottom: A tale of the Informal Economy and Inequality,16 Nov 2018, Asia Times

Promoting Inclusivity to Close the Gender Gap, 1 Nov, 2018, The Jakarta Post

Expansionary Fiscal Policy and Gender Inequality in Indonesia, 12 Oct, 2018, Asia Times

Women and Islamic Microfinance, 26 Mar, 2018, The Jakarta Post

Current/Previous Teaching Responsibilities (Tutorials)

1. Planning and Managing Development (Semester 2, 2021/22)
2. Understanding Development Research (Semester 2, 2021/22)
3. Financing Projects (Semester 1, 2022/23)
4. Research Skills Development (2022/23)
5. Gender & Development (Semester 2, 2022/23)
6. Gender & Inequality: Theory and Evidence (Semester 2, 2022/23)