I completed my BA and MA in Political Science, specializing in International Relations, at Jadavpur University, India. Although I have been fortunate never to personally experience or closely witness domestic violence growing up, the issue has always deeply troubled me. I believe it’s the guilt of my privilege that has driven me to never stay silent and settle for this social malice.
Since my undergrad days I have been reading and researching on the issue of violence against women, especially domestic violence and I have published in various academic and semi academic outlets. Finally, in 2021, Department of Political Science, Carleton University and its inspiring faculty and amazing administration provided me with the platform to voice the critical thoughts in my head and pursue my dream project! Since then, under the enriching guidance of Dr. Gopika Solanki, I have been nurturing my thesis. My research explores the interplay between legal pluralism, domestic violence, and women’s agency in postcolonial India. It aims to fill a gap in the literature by examining how women survivors of domestic violence navigate India’s legally pluralistic structure, involving both state and non-state actors like women’s organizations, local religious tribunals, and community-based groups.
My project challenges the conventional, linear understanding of women’s agency, which often overlooks the complex cultural, historical, and socio-political factors that shape their experiences. Focusing on survivors’ embodied experiences and responses to gender-based domestic violence within this pluralistic legal context, my research spans from 2011 to the present. Through an intersectional framework, it contributes to postcolonial feminist scholarship by offering alternative perspectives on women’s agency, challenging dominant narratives rooted in Global North frameworks, and providing a nuanced understanding of women’s rights and experiences in postcolonial, multicultural, and legally pluralistic societies.
Outside of my research, I love tutoring and teaching, which has led me to explore a variety of interdisciplinary courses in my TA assignments, from sexuality studies to childhood and youth studies. Beyond academia, I love dancing and cooking!