Political Sociology, Critical Theory, Political Economy, Caste in India
Karthik is a Doctoral student in Sociology at George Mason University. He completed a Masters in Sociology from Florida Atlantic University, where he focused on sections including labor and agrarian politics, critical sociology and political economy. His current research interests are centered on understanding world historical processes such as globalization, nationalism and neoliberalism to explore the changing dynamics of state and community relations. He aims to focus primarily on regions in the “Global South”, with a special interest on South Asia.
One of his recent projects presented at the 2021 ASA Annual Meeting in a roundtable focuses on the changing contexts for informal labor politics in India. The working paper seeks to understand how contemporary global and national contexts are producing new challenges for informal laborers in guaranteeing social reproductive rights. Using comparative historical methods and descriptive statistics, the paper aims to engage in wider discussions on informal labor politics and understanding the dynamics produced by macro-social changes at the global and national levels.
Karthik is originally from India and spent most of his life in the city of Chennai. In the past, he has worked as a Production Manager, an Electrical Engineer and a Management Consultant. He wants to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to understanding our globalizing society and produce works that help us create a better future world. In his free time, he goes hiking and attempts some nature and landscape photography.
- MA, Sociology, Florida Atlantic University (2021)
- MBA, Industrial Management, Indian Institute of Management (Mumbai), India (2016)
- B. Tech, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, National Institute of Technology (Tiruchirappalli), India (2012)
“Informal Economy and its Challenges under a Neo-Liberal, Ultra- Nationalistic Regime in India.” Roundtable Paper. American Sociological Association 2021 Annual Conference
“Dharavi’s Right to Mumbai - Exploring relevancy of the ‘Durable Slum’ in a Globalizing Political Economy.” Shortlisted Paper. Southern Sociological Society 2020 Annual Conference (canceled due to COVID)