2009 - Ph.D., The George Washington University
2003 - M.A., University of Maryland, College Park
1996 - M.A., Univserity of Chennai, India
1994 - B.Sc, University of Gujarat, India
Research Interests and Background
My primary area of research is Postcolonial Literature and Theory. I focus on comparative study of twentieth century postcolonial literatures in English, Hindi and other languages. Gender studies, Globalization and Translation studies are additional areas of research. My interests are multilingual but also interdisciplinary; I look at cultural, gender and historical representations in colonial and postcolonial works. My research examines the ways in which literatures from different non-Western languages influence and can redefine and reframe or understanding of the postcolonial theoretical concepts.
My concurrent research focuses on the above interests in two book projects. I am a co-editing a collection of essays titled: Creole Cosmopolitanisms: Narratives of Migrant Postcoloniality due to be released in Summer 2012. I am also working on a monograph that elaborates on the question of multiple language literatures in postcolonial theoretical studies. My publications and conference papers in the past include questions of language, translation and canon building.
Teaching
The courses I teach include Introduction to Postcolonial Studies, Literary Theory and Literature and Gender. Introduction to Postcolonial Studies covers postcolonial literature from India, (and other South Asian countries) Africa, Caribbean and other places. The course introduces students to the major themes of Colonization, hybridity, diaspora, nationalism and language as represented in these works.
My introductory course for English majors Literary Theory underlines the reading and writing practices that influence the reception of literature at various times; the course provides students the methodological tools to read critically.
Literature and Gender looks at the influence of gender in our reading and writing practices across genres and periods. As part of a two semester writing course, my students look at a variety of texts under the rubric of "resistance literature" that include literature of Native America and aboriginal New Zealand.
My research and pedagogy both have a commitment to think beyond borders- cultural, national and ethnic-and to engage with the powerful challenges of our time and explore new answers both individually and in collaboration with like-minded scholars.
