Anindya Kundu is a sociologist who loves thinking about how people can succeed despite various challenges. He has a Ph.D. in Sociology of Education from NYU and currently serves as a Senior Fellow at The City University of New York (CUNY).

He is invested in: contexts in which youth thrive and learn best; urban education as a topic and lens to address the opportunity gap; cultural competency in educational spaces; mental health in higher education; race & inequality; agency & grit; and, social justice.

His scholarship involves “agency.” I investigate how strivers, or racial minorities from low-income backgrounds, navigate social, cultural, institutional, and economic obstacles to beat the odds. I research the resources, tools, and environments that all students need to thrive.

His book, “The Power of Student Agency: Looking Beyond Grit to Close the Opportunity Gap” comes out in 2020 with Dr. Pedro Noguera writing the foreword.

His dissertation was, “Adding a Social Perspective to Grit: How Disadvantaged Students Navigate Obstacles to Succeed.” In 2018, he won the NYU Outstanding Doctoral Teaching Award. He is also a Resident at TED.

Sociology, Economic Sociology, Education, Education Professionals, Education Industry, Achievement, Inequality, Success, Psychology, Overcoming Adversity, Overcoming obstacles, Race, Race Issues, Society & Culture, Diversity & Race, Virtual Speakers TED,