By Anindya Kundu

THE POWER OF STUDENT AGENCY

Foreword by Pedro Noguera

How can we promote the learning and well-being of all students, especially those who come from some of the most disadvantaged backgrounds? We can fight against deeply rooted inequalities in the American educational system by harnessing student agency―each person’s unique capacity for positive change.

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Public Scholar / Award-Winning Educator

Dr. Anindya Kundu

Hey! I’m Anindya Kundu and I’m a sociologist who loves thinking about how people can succeed despite various challenges. I have a Ph.D. in Sociology of Education from NYU and currently serve as a Senior Fellow at LMIS at The City University of New York (CUNY).

I am 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.

My 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.

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“One of my favorite thinkers on the structural and personal opportunities all children need to thrive” –

Dr. Angela Duckworth, psychologists and author of the bestseller GRIT

TED Talks

My debut TED Talk in 2017 on the conditions for student success and the differences between grit and agency

My second TED Talk was in the Top 5 Most Popular TED Talks of 2020 on the opportunity gap and how we can close it together

Previous Events

April 18, 2021

Learning and The Brain Conference

Anindya will speak about how to foster student purpose, grit, and agency through cultural competence.