Kunal Sen has over three decades of experience in academic and applied development economics research. Since 2019 he has served as Director of the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics Research (UNU-WIDER) while on leave from the Global Development Institute, University of Manchester, where he is a professor of development economics.
Kunal is a leading international expert on the political economy of growth and development. He has performed extensive research on international finance, the political economy determinants of inclusive growth, the dynamics of poverty, social exclusion, female labour force participation, and the informal sector in developing economies. His research has focused on India, East Asia, and sub-Saharan Africa.
In addition to his work as a professor of development economics, Kunal has been the Joint Research Director of the Effective States and Inclusive Development (ESID) research