teaching philosophy

Drawing upon the insights of teachers who have placed “freedom” and “reflexive thinking” at the heart of their craft, I take learning (and teaching) to imply an awareness of how one’s own condition is related to the state of the world. Thus, my teaching attempts to make possible the conditions for students to “discover” on their own, heuristically, the various hidden connections of their lives to the world.

This approach has convinced me of the need to start from what students bring with them to a class, and to build upon it gradually by challenging them to think through and beyond their experiential knowledge. I have begun to appreciate this technique as one that not only prevents student alienation from what may be perceived as irrelevant or arcane to their lives, but also makes teaching an enjoyable and enriching, albeit challenging experience. It draws out students into the world of research-based, ethically courageous, and intellectually honest engagement with the world.

courses 

• Anthropology of Inequality
• Anthropology of Development
• Blood and Belonging
• Culture, Identity, and Cognition
• Exploring Asia 
• Foundations of Community Development
• Global Transformations and the Human Condition 
• Introduction to Civilizations of South Asia
• Language Matters
• Origins and Diversity of Humanity 
• Peoples and Cultures of South Asia / Popular Culture and Modernity in South Asia
• Research Methods
• Theoretical Dimensions in Cultural Anthropology