Ishara Mahat is a development professional, researcher and a practitioner. She has been teaching courses in development anthropology at the University of Ottawa and Carleton University.
Dr. Mahat served as a panel member of ESRC (Economic and Social Research Council) during 2016-2017, assessing the funding proposals for the ESRC-DFID joint poverty alleviation fund submitted by different academic and development organizations from South Asia, South East Asia and West Africa.
She has also worked as a consultant with McGill Institute of Global Food security developing methodologies for social and gender analysis. Previously, she served as a consultant with different international agencies such as CIDA, in the capacities of project appraisal, development, monitoring and evaluation of the gender mainstreaming projects in Nepal.
Dr. Mahat was a Visiting Scholar with the Institute for Women and Gender studies at University of Toronto immediately after completing her PhD in development studies. Her research focused on the gendered impact of rural energy technologies especially examining the human drudgery (time, labor and risk factors) of women associated with traditional energy resources in rural Nepal. She continued her Post-Doctorate research at the University of Western Ontario further examining the relationship between gender energy and poverty nexus, and its implications on the human development.
• Gender and rural energy • Social change and indigenous development • South Asia and South East Asia • Participatory research methodologies • Religion and Spirituality
2020-2021 Courses
ANTH 2850A & ANTH 2850B
2019-2020 Courses
SAST 1001 ANTH 2850A & ANTH 2850B
Mahat, I. (2018) “Women, Religion and Spirituality in South Asia “One does not have to be a Man in the Quest of Truth” Anthropology and Ethnology Open Access Journal. Vol. 1 (2).
Dahal G, Mahat I, Subedi K, Shrestha B, Regmi B, Adhikari A,(2015), “Introduction: Theoretical & Analytical Framework”, in Adhikari, A., Dahal, G., Mahat, I. and Subedi, K, Regmi G. (Eds.) Sustainable Livelihood Systems in Nepal: Principles, Practices and Prospects, IUCN.
Mahat, I. (2015) “Gender Energy and Poverty in Nepal: Perspectives of Human Development” in Adhikari, A., Dahal, G., Mahat, I. and Subedi, K, Regmi G. (Eds.) Sustainable Livelihood Systems in Nepal: Principles, Practices and Prospects, IUCN.
Mahat, I. (2011) “Gender Energy and Empowerment, A Case Study of Rural Energy Development Program (REDP) in Nepal”, Development in Practice, Vol. 21 (3) pp. 405-420
Mahat I. (2005) “Alternative Energy and Women in Rural Nepal”, LEISA Magazine, Vol. 21 (1) pp .28-29.
Mahat, I. (2004) “Rural Energy Planning and Policies in Nepal: Gender Perspectives”, Resources, Energy, and Development (READ), Vol. 1 (1 & 2) pp. 19-41.
Mahat. I (2004) “Implementation of Alternative Energy Technologies in Nepal: Towards the Achievement of Sustainable Livelihood”, Energy for Sustainable Development (ESD), Vol. 8 (2) pp. 5-12.
Mahat I. (2004) “Electrification through Micro-Hydro Plants in Rural Nepal: A Gendered Perspective” ENERGIA, Vol. 7 (1).
Mahat I. (2003) “Gender Dimensions in Household Energy”, Boiling Point, Number 49, ITDG, UK. pp. 27-29.
Mahat, I. (2003) “Women Development in Nepal: The Myth of Empowerment” Development in Transition, Volume XVIII, 2003, PRAXIS, The Fletcher Journal of International Development, Medford USA. 67-7.
Mahat I. (2002) “Rural Energy Technologies: Towards the Empowerment of Women”, Conference Proceeding, DevNet 2002: Contesting Development: Pathways to Better Practice, Massey University, New Zealand.
