It was then I realised that Jahanara was not just a former participant, but a familiar face who I have met several times. I recalled her face, smiling at me everytime I saw her. Little did I know that Jahanara was also one of the motivations for me to begin with my PhD.
Echoes of Absence: In Memory of a Participant Read More »
Technical rationality manifests in multiple realms of society and human action. For example, in the realm of authority and domination, rationalisation entails the substitution of traditional and charismatic authority by legal-rational authority; in the religious realm, professionalisation of priesthood and spiritual knowledge; and in the realm of law, a shift from traditional common law into codified and universally applicable modern law (Atalay, 2007).
Technical Rationality Read More »
This article engages with the concept of an ‘apolitical campus’ or, in other words, a campus without student politics. It provides a brief history of the process of ‘depoliticization’ from governments and university administration towards attaining ‘apolitical campuses’ in India.
As a female researcher delving into the intricacies of education policy in rural areas, there is an opportunity to foster a deeper understanding of the policy’s impact on marginalized communities, especially women and girls.
A Female Field Researcher’s Experiences in Rural Rajasthan Read More »
To investigate the underlying socio-economic and educational status of children, the primary data was collected by conducting household surveys, interviews, and focus group discussions with slum dwellers living in selected slums of Patna.
Onsite fieldwork at a time when schools had been closed for almost 600 days, seemed impossible. Nevertheless, doctoral deadlines were ticking, funding was precarious, and the visa situation was tense. And so I had to, as was the lingo of the time, “pivot.”
Doing school-based research in a global pandemic Read More »
This article is a reflection and recollection of accessing my field during the coronavirus or the COVID-19 pandemic. The pandemic and the ensuing “lockdown” presented a rare and scary situation for ethnographers. This article briefly presents my unique experiences as a researcher/ethnographer in the field. Toward the end of the article, I argue how ethnographers’ experiences (on the field) during the pandemic can contribute something new to methodological frameworks and theory.
Corona, Mask and Accessing the Field: Reflections from my Fieldwork Read More »
Researching in conflict zones or even after a crisis has ended can be extremely difficult. As a researcher interacting with people and communities in the midst of conflict I needed to proceed with caution and sensitivity. My doctoral thesis examines the effects of armed conflict on the management and operation of schools in Kashmir, as well as how state and non-state actors respond to such situations in order to mitigate the detrimental effects of armed conflict on education.
Challenges in Conducting Research in Conflict Zones: Reflections from the Field Read More »
For me, a young male in the field who was a research scholar from a well-known university (Tata Institute of Social Sciences) allowed me access to the bureaucrats initially and later the inter-connectedness of the policy world allowed me to get in touch with other administrators – both retired and serving.
Studying Up: Interviewing Elite Policy Makers Read More »
Sociology of Education (II) Offered at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai for MA Education (Elementary). Course Development Team: Nandini Manjrekar.
Sociology of Education (II) Read More »
