On Women, Witches and Migrants: An Interview with Dr. Soma Chaudhuri

About Dr. Chaudhuri: 

Soma Chaudhuri is an Associate Professor in Sociology at the Michigan State University, USA. She has degrees in sociology from Presidency College (now University) (BA 1998), JNU-CSSS (MA 2000) and Vnaderbilt University USA (Ph.D 2000). Dr. Chaudhuri's work spans four areas in sociology (development, gender, social movements and violence), linked by her common interest on how structural and institutional level gender inequalities further disadvantage women in the grassroots through the use of violence. Broadly, she is interested in understanding how non-state-actors can play an important role in community development by mobilizing women towards reducing gender inequalities. Previously, she has worked on a number of projects in United States and India including on witchcraft accusations, domestic violence among south Asian immigrants, women’s movements around jury and property rights, SlutWalks, and movements against sexual violence in India. Dr. Chaudhuri’s current research critically analyzes the impact of empowerment programs on community women’s potential to tackle various gender based violence that are often culturally embedded through local customs.

Do check out her book Witches, Tea Plantations, and Lives of Migrant Laborers in India: Tempest in a Teapot