Dr. Smita Agarwal

Designation: Assitant Professor, Department of Political Science

E-mail: smita.agarwal03@gmail.com

 

Educational Qualifications

Doctoral Thesis

‘Situating Women in Grassroot Governance: A study of Panchayats in Bihar’, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi (2014).

M. Phil. Thesis

‘Situating Women in Grassroot Governance: A Structural-Political Approach’, Department of Political Science, University of Delhi (2009).

M. A. in Political Science

Department of Political Science, University of Delhi with 55% (2007).

B. A. in Political Science

Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi with 61% (2005).

JRF/ NET

Awarded in Political Science by University Grants Commission in the year June 2008/ December 2006.

Teaching Experience

Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc), in Department of Political Science, University of Delhi (28.07.2015 – till date).

Assistant Professor in Political Science in Amity School of Liberal Arts, Amity University, Haryana (30.07.2014 - 27.07.2015).

Assistant Professor in School of Law in Raffles University, Neemrana, Rajasthan (14.09.2013 - 26.07.2014).

Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc), in Department of Political Science, Ramjas College, University of Delhi (03.01.2011 - 21.05.2013)

Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc), in Department of Political Science, Indraprastha College for Women, University of Delhi (19.01.2009 - 19.03.2009)

Publications

Article ‘Accountability of Mukhiyas : Strengthening of Panchayats in Bihar’ in Yatindra Singh Sisodia, Ashish Bhatt and Tapas kumar Dalapati (ed) Two Decades of Panchayati Raj in India: Experiences, Issues Challenges and opportunity Rawat Publications ISBN 978-81-316-0927-9

Article ‘ Party System’ published in Sanjeev Kumar and Neha Singh (ed) Fundamentals of Comparative Government and Politics, Bookage ISBN 978-93- 83281-73-2

Article ‘Rajnitik shakti ka Vimarsh Mahila Mukhiya Ke Dristikon se: Bihar Panchayat ka Adhyan’ in Pratiman, CSDS, Volume 7 January-June, 2016 issn no 2320-8201

Review Article, ‘Juvenile Justice (Care and Protection Act) 2015: A Review’ (co- authored) in Space and Culture, India (online), Volume 3, No. 3, pg. 5-9, ISSN No. 2052-8396 (2016).

Chapter ‘Social Movements’ in Tapan Biswal (ed.), Comparative Politics: Institutions and Processes, Macmillan Publishers, ISBN 935-059-310-6 (2013).

Chapter ‘Interrogating the Role of Women as leaders: A study of Panchayats in Bihar’ in Payal Kumar (ed.), Women and Leadership, , ISBN 9781137547040 (2015)

Conference Proceedings, ‘Revisiting the discourse on Quotas for Women: Field inputs from India’ published as Paper proceedings of Second International Conference on Advances in Women studies by Unique Conference Canada, ISSN No. 9780993988905, pg. 192-198 (2015).

Research Article, ‘Cosmopolitanism: A Boon or Doom for Feminist Struggle for Recognisition’ in International Journal of English Language, Literature and Humanities, Volume III, Issue III, ISSN 2321-7065 (May 2015).

Research Article, ‘Rural Governance in India: Rethinking Women’s Participation’ in Indian Journal of Research, Volume 4, Issue 6, ISSN 2250-1991 pg 50-51(June 2015).

Research Article, ‘The other Voices: in search of Justice’, in Journal of Interdisciplinary Policy and Research Action, Volume 7, Issue 3-4, ISSN 0975-0568, pg. 70-84 (July-Dec 2014).

Review Article, ‘Review of Modernity in Contemporary Perspectives’ (co- authored with Nishant Kumar) in Anashakti Darshan, Volume 7 No.2, 2011, ISSN No. 2277-9590, pg. 90-97 (2011).

Book Review, ‘The Post-Hindu India: A Discourse on Dalit- Bahujan, Socio- Spiritual and Scientific Revolution’ by Kancha Ilaiah (co-authored with Nishant Kumar) in Journal of Indian Council of Philosophical Research, Volume XXVI, No. 3, ISSN No. 0970-7794, pg. 145-150 (2009).

Book Review, ‘Caste based reservations and Human Development in India’, by K.S Chalam, in South India Journal of Social Science, A.P. Academy, Volume 2, ISSN No. 0972 8945, Page no 78-80 (December 2007).

Research Experience

Worked as Regional Coordinator for Bihar under UNDP-CDLG Project Sponsored by Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India with Indian Institute of Dalit Studies Delhi, titled ‘Study of Social Inclusion at the level of PRIs, ZillaParishad, PanchayatiSamiti, Gram Panchayat (GP) and Gram Sabha (GS) level in select States with a particular focus on disadvantaged groups such as Women, SCs, STs, OBCs and Differently abled and also documenting select number of cases highlighting Success and Failure’ (October, 2012).

Worked as Project Fellow in “Mapping Social Exclusion and Right to Representation: A Study of Students’ Union Bodies in Eight Central Universities in India”, Major Research Project sponsored by the University Grants Commission, India. 2007-08.

Workshops/Seminars

INTERNATIONAL

‘Revisiting Discourse on quotas for women: A study of panchayat in Bihar’, Paper presented in Second International Conference on Advances in Women Studies, Colombo, 25-27 February, 2015.

‘Forward-Backward: Contemporary Middle Class Indian Women and the Question of Morality’, Paper presented in conference titled Locating Gender in the New Middle Class in India, Indian Institute of Advance Study Shimla,11-13th March, 2014.

‘Situating Women in Grassroot Governance: A Case study of Heterogeneous Subjectivity’, paper presented in conference titled Ethnographies of Gender and Conflict, LOVA, Amsterdam, Netherlands, 6-8 July, 2011.
Attended St Gallens Symposium on ‘Leaders of Tomorrow’, St Gallens, Switzerland (May 10-12, 2011).

Participated in SEPHIS SEARSAP workshop on Alternative Research Methodology – IV, in Manila, Phillipines, 4-15th October, 2010.

‘Cosmopolitanism: A Boon or Doom for Feminist Struggle for Recognisition’ paper presented at IIT Madras (13-15th December, 2010).

NATIONAL

Presented paper ‘Pandita Ramabai’ and ‘Tarabai Shinde’ in ICSSR sponsored two day National Seminar titled’ Modern South Asian Thinkers’ in Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, 17th and 18th Feburary, 2017.

Presented a paper titled ‘Participation of a Dalit Mukhiya in Bihar Panchayat: Re-interrogating representation’ in Two day National Seminar titled ‘ Democracy, Social Exclusion and Rights in India’, Miranda House 18-19th April, 2016

Presented a paper titled ‘Interrogating the concept of proxy: Women Experience in Bihar Panchayats’ in one day Department Seminar in Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, April 2nd , 2016.

Presented a paper titled ‘Was Ramabai a Feminist? Reflections through her writings’ in one day National Seminar Organized by Zakhir Hussain College Delhi titled Ways of seeing critical questions on Indian Political Thought on 8th march, 2016.

Presented a paper titled ‘Using Information Technology for Welfare Administration: A Case Study of EPFO' in Two day National Seminar ‘ Social Welfare Administration : Linking with Digital India’ in IIPA , 26-27th November, 2015

Attended one day international workshop on ‘Laws, Institutions and Political Philosophy’ organized by Department of Political Science, University of Delhi on 21st -22nd August, 2015.

Discussant in panel discussion for ‘Understanding the Migrant Body’, in ICSSR sponsored national seminar on ‘Gender, Identity and Migration in India’, organized by Department of Political Science, University of Delhi in 7 to 8 Aug 2015

Attended workshop on Advance level in Research Methodology and Research Ethics conducted by Lingya’s University and ELTAI on 24th April, 2015.

Attended Workshop on Constitutional Litigation and Human Rights Advocacy conducted by IBA Chair on Continuing Legal Education, National Law School of India, Bangalore in Association with Llyod College, Greater Noida 4 - 8 March, 2015.

‘Seeing Power through a Woman Mukhiya lens: A study of Panchayat in Bihar’ Paper presented in National Conference on Power, Culture and Marginality, in Department of Political Science, University of Delhi, 16 - 17 March,2015.

‘Issue of Accountability of Mukhiyas: A case Study of Panchayat in Bihar’, Paper presented in National Conference titled Two Decades of Panchayats: Issues and Challenges organized by MPISSR, Ujjain, 15-16 January,2015.

‘Understanding the Role of Rural Governance in dealing with Naxalism in Bihar’, Paper presented in seminar organized by Geography Department, Banaras Central University, 5-7 May, 2012.

‘The Philosophy of Humiliation: Indian Women’s Experience’, Paper presented in First Asian Philosophy Congress organized by Indian Council of Philosophy Research Delhi, 6-9 March 2010.

‘Social Exclusion of Dalit women’, Paper presented in Maulana Azad University Hyderabad, Feb 22-24, 2010.

‘Mapping Marginality: Inter-sectionality of Cultural Violence and Humiliation against Dalit Women’, Paper presented at Centre for Human Rights, Hyderabad Central University, Feb 20-22, 2010.

‘Issues in Local Governance: Women in Panchayats’, Paper presented at National Seminar titled India: Country and the State, Raja Peary Mohan College, Howrah, Feb 5-6, 2010.

‘Gendering Grassroot Governance in India: Rethinking Women’s Participation’, Paper presented in Indian Social Science Congress, Delhi, 17-19 December, 2008.

‘Struggle for Recognsition: Dalit Women in Panchayats’, Paper presented in Women Studies Development Center, University of Delhi, 22-24 November, 2008.

‘The Other Voices: In search of Justice’, Paper presented in Department of History, Osmania University in the conference titled Privileging Women Agency In History: Work, Worship, Leisure And Pleasure, 26-27 March, 2008.

Additional Qualifications

Pursued Certificate Course on ‘Researching the Contemporary’ from Centre for Studies and Developing Society, Delhi, July – August, 2011.

Pursued Advance Certificate Course on ‘Gender’ from Women Studies Development Centre, University of Delhi,2011.

Pursued Certificate Course on ‘Gender and Society’, from Women Studies Development Centre, University of Delhi, 2008.

Pursued Course on ‘Environment Awareness’, from University of Delhi, 2003.

Awards received

Awarded First position in Academic Ranking in Political Science from North Campus, University of Delhi, for the academic year 2005

Award All Round Student of the year, 2004-05

Nominated by the College for All Round Best Student for Political science for the year 2004-05.

Awarded ICCSR grant to attend Advance Women Studies conference in Colombo

Selected to Attend 40th St Gallen Award in St Gallen University Switzerland

Awarded University of Delhi Travel Grant to attend Lova Conference in Amsterdam

Representative Activities

Elected and Represented by students for College Students Union body as General Secretary and Fine Arts society President.

Class representative and Vice President of Political Science Association.