Vandana Swami

Biography

Vandana Swami works in the areas of historical sociology, political economy of development, environmental history and social theory. Before joining Azim Premji University, she was a faculty member at the Indian Institute of Management, Udaipur and at Western Connecticut State University where she taught a range of courses on Indian politics and society, Introduction to Sociology, Development theory, Globalization, Modern and Postmodern Societies and Sociology of Food, among others. Her Ph. D dissertation explores the political economy of 19th century colonial India and the building of railroads in western India as a critical moment in the material and environmental history of the subcontinent. Academic Qualifications: PhD, Sociology, State University of New York, Binghamton (SUNY) MA, Sociology, State University of New York, Binghamton (SUNY) MA, Political Science, Hindu College, University of Delhi B.A.(Hons) Political Science, Hindu College, University of Delhi Research: Vandana's Ph. D dissertation explores the political economy of 19th century colonial India and the building of railroads in western India as a critical moment in the material and environmental history of the subcontinent. She has also worked in the areas of postcolonial theory and environmental history. Her current research projects are on issues of migration in the tribal populations of southern Rajasthan and ethnographic studies on child malnutrition among tribal communities in southern Rajasthan. Apart from this, she has been involved with several collaborative field based studies on tribal livelihoods, assessing development indicators among tribal groups in Baran district, and on the impact of social policies among dalit and tribal communities in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan.

Research Interest

Vandana's Ph. D dissertation explores the political economy of 19th century colonial India and the building of railroads in western India as a critical moment in the material and environmental history of the subcontinent. She has also worked in the areas of postcolonial theory and environmental history. Her current research projects are on issues of migration in the tribal populations of southern Rajasthan and ethnographic studies on child malnutrition among tribal communities in southern Rajasthan. Apart from this, she has been involved with several collaborative field based studies on tribal livelihoods, assessing development indicators among tribal groups in Baran district, and on the impact of social policies among dalit and tribal communities in the Udaipur district of Rajasthan.