Research Focus
My research is interdisciplinary, examining the complex interrelationships between individuals, families, and societies through the lenses of autoethnography, critical disability studies, and performance studies. My dissertation employs decolonizing methodologies to critically interrogate and expand contemporary anthropological frameworks, specifically regarding hegemonic power dynamics within South Asian family structures. By engaging with personal family archives, the study seeks to uncover and address the tensions, trauma, and collective memory that shape familial experiences, with particular focus on disability and domestic violence.
The research integrates film, performance, and theatre techniques in community settings to document and analyze narratives from a self-reflexive standpoint. It aims to illuminate and critique familial inequalities and dysfunctions, particularly those impacting youth and women, which hinder their full participation in broader societal life. Additionally, the study incorporates digital storytelling, autoethnography, and various forms of visual and performance art to explore the intersections of disability and personal experience. Through critical improvisation and devised theatre methodologies, the research deepens engagement and fosters a nuanced understanding of these intersecting social issues.
The final research-creation output will be an autofictional rendition weaving a nuanced tapestry of the diasporic family experience.