Anjali Adukia

Anjali is an assistant professor at the University of Chicago Harris School of Public Policy and the College. In her work, she is interested in understanding how to reduce inequalities such that children from historically disadvantaged backgrounds have equal opportunities to fully develop their potential. Her research is focused on understanding factors that motivate and shape behavior, preferences, attitudes, and educational decision-making, with a particular focus on early-life influences. She examines how the provision of basic needs—such as safety, justice, and representation—can increase school participation and improve child outcomes, particularly in developing contexts. When she was little, she did not understand why characters in stories shared so many of the same attributes and did not reflect the diversity in the world around her. She is still trying to understand.