Tata Institute of Social Sciences

Dr Subeno Kithan

Assistant Professor
Guwahati Campus, Centre for Sociology and Social Anthropology, School of Social Sciences and Humanities

Qualification

B.Sc.,
M.A.,
M.Phil. (University of Hydrabad),
NET (UGC),
Ph.D. (University of Hyderabad)

Contact

subeno.kithan[at]tiss[dot]ac[dot]in

subeno.kithan@tiss.ac.in,

kithan.subeno@gmail.com

She joined TISS Guwahati in 2011 and is currently teaching at the Centre for Sociology and Social Anthropology and at the Centre for Undergraduate Studies, TISS Guwahati.

She has done her PhD research from the Department of Anthropology, University of Hyderabad, on the topic 'An Anthropological Study of Religion among the Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir" and was awarded the degree in October 2015. Her study focused on the contemporary debates in the anthropology of religion, particularly the anthropology of Islam and in the context of a pastoral nomadic community. Ethnographic fieldwork was conducted in three spells across the region of Jammu and Kashmir from 2009-2011 among the Dodhi, Bakarwal and Desi Gujjars.

Anthropology of religion

Kinship and society

Culture and communication

Pastoral nomadic communities

Migration studies

Journal articles

1. "Those Pleasant green mountains: Memories of migration, place and the environment of pastoral nomadic Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir" (Oct 2015), in The Eastern Anthropologist, Vol. 68, No.2-3, pp. 299-312, April-September 2015.

2. “A road to the heavenly realm: Understanding Pîr reverence as a discursive tradition among Muslim Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir”, in Journal of the Indian Anthropological Society, Vol.58(3), pp. 246-266, November 2022. (ISSN 0019-4387)

Book chapters

1. "Exploring the 'subjectivity' experiences among the Gujjars of Jammu and Kashmir, India" (April 2016) in Vulli Dhanaraju (Ed), The Idea of Caste, New Delhi: Dominant Publishers, pp.95-111.

2. “Gujjars and Tribal Politics in Jammu and Kashmir” (2021) in Jagannath Ambagudia and Virginius Xaxa (Eds.), Handbook of Tribal Politics in India, New Delhi: Sage, pp. 294-209.

Newspaper article

1. Inter-tribal prejudices among the Nagas, Morung Express Sept 17, 2015.

‘Seasonal Migrants and Adaptation: A Study of Muslim Handicraft Merchants in Guwahati, Assam’ from 17/8/2020-30/05/2021, funded by Research Council, TISS (Minor project).

This study is exploratory and investigates the everyday reality and belongingness of migrants and their adaptation. The research gives a renewed perspective on the expectations of Kashmiris, and their desire to go beyond their border, and understand and experience other cultures, in this case, through their business activities.

BA/MA courses (taught)

1. Sociological and Anthropological Concepts (BASS)

2. Human Rights: Perspectives and Significance (BASS)

3. Diversities in Families and Communities (B.Voc)

4. Introduction to issues in the Northeast (MA Foundation course)

BA courses

1. Basic concepts in Sociology

2. Indian society

MA courses

1. Understanding Society, Culture and Identiry: Basic Concepts (Foundation course)

2. Marriage, Family and Kinship

3. Religion and Society