Feedback

Dr. Sailaja Nandigama

Associate Professor, Department of Humanities and Social Sciences,
BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus

Department of Humanities and Social Sciences, Birla Institute of Technology & Science, Pilani- 333031, Rajasthan. India.
I am an international academic researcher and an ethnographer, with research, teaching & training experience at the tertiary level. I have a PhD in Development Studies from the Institute of Social Studies (part of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands) and I have successfully completed two Post-doc assignments (for a total of 5 (2+3) years in UK and the Netherlands). I am engaged in research and teaching & extension activities with several Indian and international higher education Institutions from the Netherlands, UK, USA, Australia and Japan in various academic teaching and research related projects.

I am interested in bridging the gap between policy and practice of Development; in understanding dynamics of social processes that lead to success and failure of development interventions; in devising ways of making technology socially relevant; and in understanding natural resource management and gender dynamics in social policy and practice through ethnographic mixed methods.

My research domains include Political Science and Political Ideologies; Human Rights, Social Justice and Public Policy; Ethnography, mixed methods and qualitative research; Public Policy Analysis; Gender and Development; Knowledge, Performance and Power in Natural Resource Management; Governance & Participation, Rural Development; Actor-Network Theory; Science and Technology Studies, Interpretative Policy Analysis; Sustainability Research and Environmental Education.
  
I am also active in institution building and administrative work at BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus in the following roles-
 
  • Non-resident Warden (Meera Bhavan)
  • Member of Cell for Kashmiri Students at BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus
  • Convener, International Academia and Research Committee (IARC)- Dept. of HSS

 

EDUCATION

 

  • Ph.D in Development Studies (2009) from International Institute of Social Studies (part of Erasmus University of Rotterdam), The Hague, The Netherlands.
  • M.Phil in Political Science (2002) from University of Hyderabad, India, Division: First (64%).
  • MA in Political Science (1997) from University of Hyderabad, Hyderabad, India, Division: First (64%).
  • BA in Political Science, History and English Literature (1995) from Osmania University College for Women, Hyderabad, India, Division: First (70%).

 

 

EMPLOYMENT HISTORY (starting from the most recent)

  • Associate Professor (Development Studies and Political Science) at BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus from 30th June 2021 to present.
  • Assistant Professor (Development Studies and Political Science) at BITS Pilani, Pilani Campus from 2nd July 2014 to 29th June 2021.
  • Visiting Faculty (Assistant Professor) at TATA Institiute of Social Sciences (TISS), Hyderabad Campus, Jan 2014 to June 2014.
  • Guest Post-Doc Researcher at Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group (FNP), Wageningen University, the Netherlands, Feb 2013 to Dec 2013.
  • Post-Doc Researcher at the Forest and Nature Conservation Policy Group (FNP), Wageningen University, the Netherlands, Feb 2010 to Jan 2013.
  • Research Associate at the Department of Town and Regional Planning, University of Sheffield, United Kingdom, Jan 2008 to Jan 2010.
  • Researcher (M&E) in Centre for Media Studies (CMS), Saket, New Delhi, India, 2002.
  • Lecturer (Political Science), Holy Cross Degree College for Women- BHEL, Hyderabad, India, 97-98 & 98-99.