Hyderabad Campus,
Assistant Professor, School of Gender and Livelihoods
M.A. in English Literature (Nagarjuna University),
M.Phil., Ph.D. in English Literature (EFLU, Hyderabad)
sowjanya.tamalapakula[at]tiss[dot]ac[dot]in
E mail: sowjanya.tamalapakula@tiss.edu
sowjanya.tamalapakula@gmail.com
Dr. Sowjanya Tamalapakula is an Assistant Professor at the School of Gender and Livelihoods, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Hyderabad. She holds a PhD in the area of caste and gender violence from the English and Foreign Languages University (EFLU), Hyderabad. She received a Ford Foundation fellowship for her M.Phil on Contemporary Debates on Modernity and Democracy in India through an intersectional gender and caste lens.
Dr. Tamalapakula currently teaches post-graduate level courses on intersectionalities, sexuality, masculinities, women’s writing, media and cultural studies in the school of gender studies. Her research interests include Indian cinema, semiotics, marriage and conjugalities, queer studies, body politics, subaltern religions, and visual cultures. She has published in both national and international journals on gender, caste, media, sexuality, marriage, and religion. She regularly contributes to news media such as The Wire, Deccan Chronicle, Asian Age, The News Minute, Youth Ki Awaz, Round Table India, and The Print.
My research interests include Indian cinema, semiotics, queer politics, marriage, religion, sexual entertainment industry, body politic and visual cultures.
Journal Publications (descending chronological order)
Nadamala,B, Tripathi,P, Gogu,S, Tamalapakula,S (2024), “Breaking Barriers, Forging Paths: A Conversation on Gender, Caste, and Sexuality", International Feminist Journal of Politics (IFJP), Taylor and Francis (Routledge group), 1466-4429 (print) 1466-4437(online) Vol.25 Issue no.2 pp.1-27 Imapct factor: 0.970
https://doi.org/10.1080/14616742.2024.2384753
Tamalapakula,S and Gogu, S (2023), “Culture, Spirituality and Catharsis in Balagam, Economic and Political Weekly (EPW) Vol.58, Issue no.31.pp.63-64.
https://www.epw.in/journal/2023/31/postscript/%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8B%E2%80%8Bculture-spirituality-and-catharsis-%C2%A0balagam.html
Tamalapakula,S (2023). “Whatever Happened to Jogta and Jgtin?”: Marginalization Dalits in Lower Caste Religious Practices, in The Critical Philosophy of Race, Penn State University, Pennsylvania. Vol.8, No.2, p. (148-174)ISSN 2165-8684.
https://scholarlypublishingcollective.org/psup/cpr/article-abstract/11/1/148/351208/Whatever-Happened-to-Jogta-and-Jogtin-Subjugation?redirectedFrom=PDF
Ponniah,U and Tamalapakula,S (2020) “Caste-ing Queer Identities” in NUJS Law Review, The Quarterly Flagship Journal of NUJS, Calcutta, Volume 13, Issue-3, pp.1-8. ISSN-L (Online) : 0975 - 0207. ISSN (Print) : 0975 – 0029
http://nujslawreview.org/2020/11/04/caste-ing-queer-identities
Tamalapakula,S (2019). “Politics of Inter-caste Marriage Among Dalits: “Political as Personal”,” in Asian Survey, 59:2. Berkeley: University of California Press, pp.315- 336. ISSN: 0004-4687, E-ISSN: 1533-838X
https://as.ucpress.edu/content/59/2/315.full.pdf+html
Tamalapakula,S (2019). “Casting Honour: Reading of Inter-caste Love in South Indian Cinema” The Scholar Critic. Vol-06, Issue-02, August 2019, pp.67-84. ISSN 2348 – 6937, E-ISSN- 2348 – 694
https://www.scholarcritic.com/issue?issue=Volume%206%20-%20Issue%202
Tamalapakula,S (2016). “Understanding Discrimination Based on Skin Colour in India: A Critique on NDTV-What’s Your Choice? The Philosopher: A Research Journal, Tirur: SSUS,Vol.1. No.4, pp. 115-123. ISSN- 2319-8311
Tamalapakula,S (2014). “Understanding Dalit Feminism” The Philosopher: A Research Journal, Tirur: SSUS, pp.145-156. Vol.2.No.2. ISSN-2319-8311
Book Chapters
Tamalapakula, S (2024), “Rape and Sexual Violence against Dalit Women: Challenges of Legal Justice in India”, Lata Singh and Sadhna Arya (eds.) Feminist Movements in India: Issues, Debates, Struggles, New Delhi: Aakar Publications.
Tamalapakula, S (2024), “Dalit Feminism: Through the Lens of Activism and Writing”, Lata Singh and Sadhna Arya (eds.) Feminist Movements in India: Issues, Debates, Struggles, New Delhi: Aakar Publications.
Tamalapakula,S (2023), “Dalitgalin Kalappu Manam” in Ilangovan Rajasekaran (Ed.) Saathiyin Peyaraal. Chennai: Kizhakku Pathippagam. pp. 201-220. (Tamil)
Tamalapakula,S (2023) “Dalit Nariwad: Activism aur Lekhan ki Nazar se” in Sadhna Arya and Lata Singh (eds.) Bharat Mein Mahila Andolan: Vimarsha aur Chunautiya, Delhi: Radhakrishna.pp.197-211. ISBN:978-93-91950-30-9 (Hindi)
Conference Papers
Presented a paper on “Desire, Marriage and Motherhood Among the Sexually Surplus Women: Preliminary Findings” at Remembering Sharmila Rege conducted by Dept. Of Women’s Studies, Savitribai Phule University, Pune, 20th July 2024.
Presented a paper on “Whatever Happened to Jogta and Jogtin”: Subjugation of Dalits in lower Caste Religious Practices at The conference on Critical Philosophy of Caste-Race at HSS, IIT Delhi on 8th March 2024.
Presented a paper on “Sexual Entertainment Market, Caste-gender-sex praxis” at the workshop on Caste, Gender and Embodiment of Democracy at Department of Communication, University of Hyderabad on 3rd October, 2023.
Presented a paper on "Fab and Prejudice": The Representation of AFAB (Assigned Female At Birth) and Lesbians in Indian Cinema at The 8th International Conference on Communication and Media Studies at Complutense University of Madrid, Faculty of Information Sciences Madrid, Spain, September, 2023
Presented a paper titled “Bar Dance, Sex Work and the Question of Caste” at International Women’s Conference at Colombo, Sri Lanka on 12th August, 2023 conducted by I-Conferences, Sri Lanka, Sanchi University of Buddhist-Indic Studies, TISS, Hyderabad and Universiti Sains, Malaysia, Parahyangan Catholic University, Indonesia.
Presented a paper on “When Democracy Upholds Manu’s Law?”: Rape, Sexual Violence and Legal Justice in India, at the Seminar “Rule of Law” conducted by Christ University, Bangalore, on 29th September, 2021.
Presented a paper on “Caste, Brahminical Femininity and Violence against Dalit Women” at IAWS conference, National Law University, Delhi. 28th to 31st January, 2020.
Presented a paper on “Contemporary Challenges to Social Sciences Education in India” at Diversity, Inclusion and Student Success in Higher Education, Jointly Organized by University of Massachusetts, Amherst, USA and Dept of Political Science, Osmania University, Hyderabad. 6th January, 2020.
Presented a paper on “K. Viswanath and the Construction of Brahmin Capital in Telugu Cinema” at Seminar on MeToo Moment in Our Film Industries, Anveshi, Hyderabad, 29th March 2019.
Presented a paper on “Contemporary Challenges to Dalit Feminism” at Dalit Intellectual Collective Meet, at Indian Social Institute, Bangalore, 2018.
Presented paper on “Caste Violence and Legal Justice” at 5t Annual Conference of the Asian Criminological Society, Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai 14th to 16th April 2013.
Presented a paper on “Humanities and Social Sciences: Syllabus Making” at Two Day National seminar on Students’ Role in Quality Assurance, at Silver Jubilee College, Kurnool in 11th 12th December 2008.
Presented a paper on “Christianity and Education in Andhra Pradesh” at Dalit Intellectual Collective seminar, Kerala in 2006.
In Media
Tamalapakula, S, “Are Dalits Descendents of Asuras?”: A Reflection on Student Politics and Asura Discourse, in Countercurrents , 4th July 2024
https://countercurrents.org/2024/07/are-dalits-descendants-of-asuras-a-reflection-on-student-politics-and-asura-discourse/
Tamalapakula, S (2022), “The revolution and the Religion in the Film Kantara” The News Minute, 4th December 2022.
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/revolution-and-religion-film-kantara-170585
Tamalapakula, S (2021) “How Jai Bhim Appeals to Brahminical Sentiments in its Portrayal of Caste Violence” in The News Minute, 10th November, 2021. https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/how-jai-bhim-appeals-brahminical-sentiments-its-portrayal-caste-violence-157454
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “Annihilation of Caste and Annihilation of Patriarchy Must Go Hand in Hand” The News Minute, 7th December, 2020.
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/annihilation-caste-and-annihilation-patriarchy-must-go-hand-hand-139165
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “From Khairlanji to Hathras: Do Dalit Have Access to Legal Justice in This Country?” Velivada, 20th October, 2020
https://velivada.com/2020/10/21/from-khairlanji-to-hathras-do-dalits-have-access-to-legal-justice-in-this-country/
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “Rape, Honour Killings: Can RGV Offer a True Critique? Deccan Chronicle, 19th July, 2020.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/190720/sowjanya-tamalapakula-rape-honour-killings-can-rgv-offer-a-true-cr.html
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “Can We Really Discuss Menstruation in India Without Talking About Caste?” Youth Ki Awaz, 28th May, 2020.
https://www.youthkiawaaz.com/2020/05/can-we-really-discuss-menstruation-in-india-without-talking-about-caste/
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “The Shutdown is A Device to Shutout Dalits” Deccan Chronicle, 29th April, 2020.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/290420/the-shutdown-is-a-device-to-shut-out-the-dalits.html
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “It’s About Respect and About Dishes”, Deccan Chronicle, 8th March, 2020.
https://www.pressreader.com/india/deccan-chronicle/20200308/281921660102259
Tamalapakula, S (2020) “Manu in Us: Kill Him to Exorcize Caste”, Deccan Chronicle, 16th February, 2020.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/120120/the-manu-in-us-kill-him-to-exorcise-caste.html
Tamalapakula, S (2019) “If Society Doesn’t Respect All Women, It’s Hard to Stop Rape, Sexual Crimes” Asian Age, 2nd December, 2019.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/op-ed/021219/if-society-doesnt-respect-all-women-its-hard-to-stop-rape-sexu.html
Tamalapakula, S (2019) “Exploring the Idiom of Bodily Integrity” Asian Age, 22nd December, 2019.
https://www.deccanchronicle.com/opinion/columnists/221219/exploring-the-idiom-of-bodily-integrity.html
Tamalapakula, S (2019). “How Telugu Political Biopics Cherish the Memories of Feudalism?” The Wire, 29th April.
https://thewire.in/film/telugu-political-biopics-ntr-ysr-feudalism
Tamalapakula S (2019). “Caste, Patriarchy and the Surrogacy Market in India”, The News Minute 14th January.
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/caste-patriarchy-and-surrogacy-market-india-95006
Tamalapakula, S (2019) Justifying Violence: The Savarna Response to Pranay’s Murder is Casteism Consolidated, The News Minute, 2nd, February, 2019)
https://www.thenewsminute.com/article/justifying-violence-savarna-response-pranays-murder-casteism-consolidated-96123
Tamalapakula,S (2018). “C/O Kancharapalem and the Politics of Unspeakability of Caste”, The Wire, 14th October
https://thewire.in/film/c-o-kancharapalem-and-the-politics-of-unspeakability-of-caste
Tamalapakula S (2018) “Why the State is Trying to Link Dalit Resistance..?” The Wire, 13, Sept, 2018.
https://thewire.in/rights/why-the-state-is-attempting-to-link-dalit-resistance-to-maoism
Tamalapakula, S (2017). “Who is a Woman? Who is a Dalit? “Anveshi Broadsheet on Contemporary Politics.Vol.3,No-1.P. 14-15. ISSN: 2278-3423 Impact Factor: NA
http://www.anveshi.org.in/broadsheet-on-contemporary-politics/archives/broadsheet-on-contemporary-politics-vol-3-no-1/who-is-a-woman-and-who-is-a-dalit/
Tamalapakula, S (2016). “Death of Merit or Merit of Death?” in Roundtable India.com
https://www.anveshi.org.in/broadsheet-on-contemporary-politics/archives/broadsheet-on-contemporary-politics-vol-3-no-1/who-is-a-woman-and-who-is-a-dalit/
Tamalapakula, S (2015). “Have Savarna Feminists Rejected the Markers of Caste and Patriarhy?” Roundatableindia.com
https://www.roundtableindia.co.in/have-we-rejected-patriarchy/
Tamalapakula, S (2013) “Samakaleena Samajamlo Purushadhikyata Mariyu Linga Vivadam”Adhyapaka Jwala (Telugu) Vol-26, No.12, March. P.13-15&23. Regd-822481/20A/86
Tamalapakula, S (2013) “Bharata Samajamlo Balikasisu Bhruna Hatyalu” Adhyapaka Jwala (Telugu) Vol-26, No.05, August. P.13-15&23. Regd-822481/20A/86
Tamalapakula, S (2013) “Reflections on the Politics of Condition of Dalit Women on University Campus’ Anveshi Broadsheet on Contemporary Politics, Vol. 2, No.2&3. P.14. ISSN- 2278-3423 Impact Factor: NA
http://www.anveshi.org.in/reflections-on-the-condition-of-dalit-women-on-university-campuses/
Working Papers
Tamalapakula, S (2023), “Sexual Entertainment, Market and the State: Anti-Caste Movements and Sex-Gender-Caste Praxis" accepted by Sociological Bulletin.
Projects:
Project Director-ICSSR (Indian Council of Social Science Research)- Dr. Sowjanya Tamalapakula for the project entitled A Study on Women, Shivashaktis and Jogtas in Yellamma and Other Shakti Traditions of Telangana, Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Karnataka sanctioned for the period of April 2024 to April 2026.
Co-Project Lead - Dr. Sowjanya Tamalapakula for Telangana State level Project Lead for the project IB21-State Resource Centre for Women, WCD, State of Telangana, 01st Oct 2022-30th Sep 2023 (Started in this period) - The SRCW aims to prepare state action plans on issues related to women, and to ensure implementation of gender sensitive programmes, laws and schemes.
Telangana State level Project Lead for the project IB21-013 Christ (Deemed to be Univeristy)- KAS Study on Youth Perception of the Rule of Law in India. (2022)
Consultant, Project on Caste in Diaspora: Perceived Caste Discrimination, Equality Labs, U.S.A (2020)
Consultant, Project on Jogini System in Andhra Pradesh, Ashraya Foundation, Andhra Pradesh. (2019)
Relief works:
Supply of medical kits and awareness program with regard to Covid-19 for Transwomen in Hyderabad funded by Equality Labs, USA in April-May 2020.
1. Gender and Intersectionalities
2. Gender, Media and Culture
3. When the Margins Speak: Intersectional Autobiography
4. Men and Masculinities
5. Sexuality, Power and Violence
6. Women Writing, Writing Women
7. Research Dissertation
8. Gender Development Practice
9. Gender, Identities and Social Marginalities
