Ph.D. in Sociology Admissions Announcement: Monsoon Session 2024

ABOUT THE PH.D. PROGRAM IN SOCIOLOGY

The Sociology department at Shiv Nadar Institution of Eminence offers a vibrant doctoral program that recognizes South Asia's diverse cultures and societies while encouraging research that compares and analyzes field sites worldwide. Empirically informed and theoretically grounded, the program offers a year’s coursework in preparation for rigorous independent research. Faculty members offer diverse interests in classical and contemporary themes, and the department also prioritizes sustained interdisciplinary research and practical, theoretical contributions to continuing and emergent discussions. Ethnographic work is encouraged as are other innovative methodologies and research plans.

AREAS OF RESEARCH

Applicants are requested to explore faculty profiles for greater detail. Some of the areas of supported research are as follows but not limited to this list.

  • Law and Society
  • Medical Anthropology
  • Mental Health
  • Military cultures
  • Ethnography and Methodology
  • Political Anthropology
  • Research/Art Interface
  • Art and Aesthetics
  • Atmospheres and Ecologies
  • Biopolitics and the Social
  • Identity and Governance
  • Discourses of Respectability and Self-Respect
  • Nomadism and Pastoralism
  • The City and Urban Research
  • Religion and Theology
  • Material Cultures
  • Anthropology of Death and the Dead
  • Hierarchy and Inequality
  • Science, Technology, and Society

 FACILITIES AND FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

  • The Doctoral Programme is for a duration of 5 years and is fully funded.
  • Scholars admitted into the program shall receive a doctoral award (teaching and research assistantship) consisting of a tuition fee waiver
  • D. scholars receive a monthly stipend of Rs. 40,000 for the first 2 years and Rs. 45,000 subsequently for up to 3 years
  • Support will be available for deserving Ph.D. scholars to disseminate their work through conferences and publications.
  • A research grant of Rs 1,50,000 is available for Ph.D. scholars to be used for Scopus-indexed conference travel, whether domestic or international
  • The Sociology Scholars Forum is a dedicated forum for PhD scholars to organize and hold doctoral research talks and workshops.
  • Unique opportunity to collaborate and seek guidance from the School of Humanities and Social Sciences (SHSS) and the University-wide level of research and multi-disciplinary expertise.

SCHOLARS’S ACHIEVEMENTS AND POSSIBILITIES

The Department of Sociology at SNIoE has produced several accomplished Ph.D. graduates who have pursued successful careers in academia and research. Dr. Samprati Pani completed her Ph.D. in sociology and is now a Postdoctoral Research Fellow at the Max Weber Forum for South Asian Studies, working on a project on repair work and maintenance in urban marketplaces. Dr. Deepak Prince completed his Ph.D. in sociology and is currently an Assistant Professor at IIIT Delhi while also co-founding an art collective called 0penstudi0. Dr. Shagufta Kaur Bhangu completed her PhD in sociology and is now a Lecturer and PGR Deputy Director at King's College London. Dr. Nishpriha Thakur completed her PhD in sociology and is now a Research Fellow at the Department of History, University of Warwick, UK. Additionally, several students have received prestigious research awards, including the Fulbright-Nehru Doctoral Research Fellowship and the Wenner-Gren Foundation Awards Dissertation Fieldwork Grant.

RESEARCH ACHIEVEMENTS

The current PhD cohorts at the Department of Sociology have produced an impressive 30 publications in peer-reviewed journals and articles. They have presented their research at 27 national and international conferences.

PLACEMENT'S (offered in the past)

Kings College London

University of Warwick

Indraprastha Institute of Technology (IIIT) Delhi

Max Weber Forum for South Asian Studies (MWF Delhi)

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA

Interested students must have a four-year bachelor’s degree and/or a Master’s degree in Sociology, Social Anthropology, or other related disciplines. If the Qualifying degree is in a field other than the one to which admission to the Ph.D. program is sought, the candidate will be expected to demonstrate sufficient mastery of the fundamentals in the field through the interview.

External Examinations: UGC NET- JRF is desirable, though not mandatory.

SELECTION PROCESS

All candidates who meet the minimum eligibility criteria (as above) must submit supporting documents. In addition, all candidates must submit the following:

A Statement of Purpose

The statement of purpose should be between 500 and 1000 words and consist of the candidate’s background and motivation to pursue a PhD in sociology/social anthropology.

Research Proposal

The research proposal should be a minimum of 3500 and a maximum of 5000 words and must consist of the main research questions, engagement with literature, and methodological intentions. Detection of plagiarism will disqualify an applicant.

Examination and Interview

Shortlisted Candidates will have to appear for an interview.

APPLICATION TIMELINES

Applications Open: 11th Jan, 2024

Application deadline: 9th June, 2024 

Applications Evaluation, Tests and Interviews: Between 10th June and 15th Jul, 2024

Offer of Admission: Between 15th July and 20th July, 2024

CONTACT DETAILS

For further enquiry or information, contact:

If you have questions of an academic nature, write to

Dr. Ravi Nandan Singh [email protected] for clarification.

For other information, please contact:

Mr. George Nellickal Chacko: [email protected]