Priyavadan M. Patel is Professor of Political Science & the Head, Department of Political Science (2011-15) as well as Senate Member (2012-2017) of The M.S. University of Baroda. Prof Patel was External Member, the School Board of School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad (From 2011-2013) and is a Member, Research Advisory Board, Centre for Culture and Development, Sevasi, Baroda (From 2003-To date). He is an External Member, P G Research Board, School of Social Sciences, M. L. S. University, Udaipur, Rajasthan (2010-To date). Prof. Patel has worked as Member, Textbook Development Committee for Textbook in Political Science for Class X – Democratic Politics-II, NCERT, New Delhi in 2007 and as a member of Expert Committee for a Masters Course on Social Movements and Politics in India, Indira Gandhi National Open University, and New Delhi in 2004. He has been Deputy Coordinator (Indian Government-Politics & Administration) for the UGC Special Assistance Program, Third Phase, from 1998-2002. From 1986 to 1993, he was editor of the Gujarat Political Science Association Newsletter. Prof. Patel was invited to work as a member of the Sub-Committee for Designing Methodology for Comprehensive Evaluation of Tribal Development, Tribal Development Department, Government of Gujarat(GOG) (1983-84) and as subject expert for Assessing and Examining the Textbooks of Classes V & VIII in Social Studies, Gujarat State School Textbook Board, GOG, 1987.He has been a member of the Working Sub-Group on: Tribal Development Planning, VIII Five Year Plan for the Government of Gujarat from 1987 to 1988 and worked on the Advisory Committee on Destitute and Delinquent Children in Baroda City, organized by the Social Welfare Department, GOG (1986-87). He was a member of the Social Input Plan Implementation Committee to the District Planning Office, Sabarkantha District Panchayat from1981-84. Prof. Patel worked as Research Associate at Centre for Social Studies (CSS), Surat, supported by ICSSR & GOG (1979-89).

Some of Prof. Patel’s research projects have included “Impact of Canal Irrigation on Power Relationships in a Village,” sponsored by CSS, Surat, 1982;“An Evaluative Study of Integrated Tribal Development Project, Dahod, Panchmahals, Gujarat,” sponsored by the Tribal Development Department, GOG,1981-85, “Elite Politics and Manipulation of Masses: A Case of Baroda Riots,” sponsored by CSS, Surat,1983-86; “Mal-Adjustment and the Problem of Destitute and Delinquent Children in Baroda City,” sponsored by UNICEF & Social Welfare Department, GOG (1986).

Prof. Patel has been one of the founding members of Lokniti Network and worked as Gujarat State Coordinator for “National Election Studies” in 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2004 as well as for the “Gujarat Assembly Election Studies” in 2002 and 2007. He has coordinated “National Election Audit” in Gujarat, sponsored by CSDS & Election Commission of India in 1999. In 2000-01, he coordinated the Gujarat segment of “State and Society Project”, University of Bangalore, University of Ohio and University of California, Berkeley, USA. Two rounds of “World Values Survey, 1991-2000 and 2001-2006”, a Global Research Project of Institute of Social Research, University of Michigan and University of Bangalore were coordinated in Gujarat during 2001 and 2006 respectively. From Jan. 2006 to Jan. 2008, he coordinated the “State of the Nation Surveys” in Gujarat, sponsored by CNN-IBN-CSDS, Delhi.

Research Interests

Prof. Patel’s research interests include broad concerns of Indian Government & Politics and Public Administration from the perspective of state-society interface as reflected in the working of Indian Democracy and Development efforts.

Research Projects:

Some of Prof. Patel’s early research projects have included “Impact of Canal Irrigation on Power Relationships in a Village,” sponsored by CSS, Surat, 1982;“An Evaluative Study of Integrated Tribal Development Project, Dahod, Panchmahals, Gujarat,” sponsored by the Tribal Development Department, GOG,1981-85, “Elite Politics and Manipulation of Masses: A Case of Baroda Riots,” sponsored by CSS, Surat,1983-86; “Mal-Adjustment and the Problem of Destitute and Delinquent Children in Baroda City,” sponsored by UNICEF & Social Welfare Department, GOG (1986).

Select Publications

Articles in Edited Volumes:

“Gujarat: Signs of Anti-incumbency”, in Sandeep Shastri, K.C. Suri & Yogendra Yadav, ed., Electoral Politics in Indian States: Lok Sabha Elections in 2004 and Beyond. New Delhi: Oxford University Press, 2009, pp. 148-175. [Also published as revised Translation in Hindi as: “Gujarat: BJP’s Dominance”, in Arvind Mohan ed., New Demos of Democracy: Emergence of States in Electoral Politics –Vol. II. New Delhi: Vani Prakashan, 2009, pp.103-140].