About

Patrick Heller is the Lyn Crost Professor of Social Sciences and professor of sociology and international studies at Brown University, where he directs the development research program at the Watson Institute of International Studies and Public Affairs. His research interests include the comparative study of social inequality and democratic deepening.

Among Heller’s most recent publications are two coauthored books, Bootstrapping Democracy: Transforming Local Governance and Civil Society in Brazil (Stanford University Press, 2011) and Deliberation and Development: Rethinking the Role of Voice and Collective Action in Unequal Societies (World Bank, 2015).

His most recent project, Cities of Delhi, conducted in collaboration with India’s Centre for Policy Research, explores the dynamics of governance and social exclusion in India’s capital. Heller holds a PhD from the University of California, Berkeley.