Dr. Asima Jena Profile

Coordinator & Assistant Professor,

Academic Background:

• Ph.D, Sociology (2009) from University of Hyderabad, on the topic "Communities, Tradition and Politics of Risk: A Study of HIV/AIDS in a coastal District of Andhra Pradesh".
• M.Phil (2004) from University of Hyderabad, on the topic, "Gender, Inequality and HIV/AIDS: A Study in an Urban Slum in Bhubaneswar"
• M.A, Sociology (2002) from University of Hyderabad.

Area of research interest/Specialization

Sociology of Health, Sociology of Embodiment, Sociology of Gender and Sexuality , Ethnography, Globalization, State and Social Justice

Research experience: Worked as a "study ethnographer" and "senior researcher" in a research project of Yale University [which later moved to American University] between 2005 to 2007 and between 2009 to 2011 respectively.

Teaching Experience:

• Working as an Assistant Professor (Regular) in Centre for Studies in Society and Development, School of Social Sciences, Central University of Gujarat since December 07, 2012. I teach "Health Programmes and policies", "Health and Development" and "Medicine, Health and Society" in B.A. (Social Management), M.A., and M.Phil. programs respectively. Apart from this, I teach "Diaspora and Development" and "Globalization, State and Justice" and "Gender and Sexualities: Issues and Perspectives" in M.A. and M. Phil. Programs of the Centre in order. Additionally, I share main courses such as "Research Methodology" and "Theories of Society" and "Theories of Development" with other faculties of the centre.
• Worked as an Assistant Professor [on contract] in Centre for Studies in Society and Development, Central University of Gujarat between September 23, 2011 to December, 05, 2012.

Research Students Supervised:

Two M.Phil. students' dissertations have been awarded and their research topics include "Identity of Adivasi Women: A Sociological Study of Bhils Of South Gujarat" and "Contested Identity of Local Health Practitioners: A Study in Ahmedabad, Gujarat". They subsequently joined for PH.D. program under M.PHIL/PH.D integrated program in February, 2014. Additionally, two M.Phil. students have submitted their dissertations and their title of the dissertations are "Knowledge, Economy and Critical Reason: Higher Education in India" and "Body Politics, Space and Adolescents: An ethnographic study in Baroda". Besides these, I am supervising four M.Phil. students.

Publications:

• Jena, A. (2014). Interface between unequal power relations in gender and Health: A Case of STIs in India. in Panda, U. (Ed.) "Gender Issues and Challenges in Twenty First Century'. New Delhi: Satyam Law International (November, 2014)
• Oxford University Press-India has accepted the manuscript for publication entitled "Caste, Gender and Sexuality: A Sociological Narrative of HIV/AIDS in India" in August, 2013.
• Jena, A. (2006). Commercial Exploitation of Child Work and Risk: A Study in an Urban Slum in Bhubaneswar, in Kailash Satyarthi and Bhupinder Zutshi (ed.) "Globalization, Development and Child Rights". Sipra. Delhi.
• Jena, A. & Prasad, N. P. (2009). Risk Culture, Propertied Classes and Dynamics of a Region: A Study of HIV/AIDS in East Godavari District (Andhra Pradesh), Sociological Bulletin, Volume 58 (3): 383-402.
• Biradavolu, M., Burris S., George A., Jena, A. & Blankenship K., (2009), Can sex workers regulate police: Learning from an HIV prevention project for sex workers in South India, Social Science and Medicine, Volume 68:1541-1547.
• Blankenship K., Biradavolu M.R., Jena, A. & George, A., (2010), Challenging the Stigmatization of Female Sex Workers through a Community Led Structural Intervention: Learning from a Case Study of a female sex worker intervention in Andhra Pradesh, AIDS Care, Volume 22, Supplement 02:1629-1636
• Biradavolu, M R., Blankeship K., Jena A. & Dhungana, N. (2012), [e-article, ahead of print publication] "Structural Stigma, Sex Work and HIV: Contradictions and Lessons Learnt from a Community Led Structural Intervention in Southern India", Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health , Vol.66 (supplement 2): 95-99, June 15, 2012.

Papers presented in Conferences

International Seminar

• Presented a paper entitled, "Body as a Site of Contestation and Reconciliation: Learning from an STI Management Programme in India" at RC-54, "Body in Social Sciences: Embodied Action, Embodied Theory, Understanding Body in Society", Second International Sociological Association Forum, University of Buenos Aires, Argentina, 1-4 August, 2012.
• Presented a paper entitled, 'Struggles for Empowerment: Indian Sex Workers Negotiating, Resisting and Coping with an STI Management Programme' at Annual Meeting, Society for the Study of Social Problems, New York. August, 2007

Invited Lectures:

Delivered a talk on "HIV/AIDS Discourse and Land Alienation: Tribulations of Kalavanthulus" in the School of Humanitie and Social Sciences, IIT-Guwahati, on February 07, 2014.

National Seminar

• Presented a paper on "Methodological and Ethical Challenges in Studying HIV/AIDS" at Fourth National Bio-ethics Conference on "Ethical and Regulatory Challenges in Health research", organized by Forum for Medical Ethics Society, University of Hyderabad and Council for Social Development, at University of Hyderabad, December 6-8, 2012.
• Presented a paper entitled "Gender, Caste and Sexuality: Understanding the Issue of Land Alienation" in the XIV National Conference on Women's Studies on "Equality, Pluralism and the State: Perspectives from the Women's Movement" at Guwahati University, Guwahati, 04-07 February.
• Presented a paper, "Female Emigration and a New Form of Patronization in the context of HIV/AIDS: A Study in the East Godavari District of Andhra Pradesh" at International Seminar on 'Young People and Migration', organized by Rajiv Gandhi National Institute for Youth Development, International Organization for Migration, Indian Council of Overseas Employment & Centre for Development Studies, at RGNIYD, Sriperumbudur, 18-19 January, 2012.
• Presented a paper entitled, "Sexuality and HIV/AIDS Discourse' at a Sexual Awareness Project: A Week Long Program to Raise Attentiveness and Vital Information on Sexualities: Awareness and Identities, at Goethe- Zenturm Hyderabad, Dec1- Dec. 6, 2008.
• Participated in the discussion on 'Curriculum Review and Modifications with Inductions of Relevant Themes', in an UNDP Sponsored Workshop on 'HIV/AIDS and Trafficking In Women and Girls' Organized by Roda Ministry College of Social Work and Research Centre, Hyderabad on January 23-24, 2006.
• Presented a paper on "Symbolic Violence: An Intersection of Caste, Gender and Sexuality" at the International Seminar on Coping with Violence in Today's world, held at Punjabi University, Patiala on February 22-23, 2007.
• Presentation on "Risk, Work and Child: A study in an urban slum in Bhubaneswar" at the National Thematic Workshop on "Development, Destitution and Child Rights: in the context of Globalization' organized by Bachpan Bachao Andolan, SACCS, New Delhi, March 16, 2004.
• Presented a paper on "Aging and Sexuality: Some Reflections of Old Commercial Sex Workers in Bhubaneswar" at National Seminar on "Dimensions of Ageing In India' Sponsored by UGC (SERO) and Organized by Department of Sociology, RBVRR Women's College, Hyderabad. July 15-16, 2004.

Forthcoming projects, seminar and papers:

e-P.G Pathsala,"Sociology of Health"

e-P.G. Pathsala, "Gender and Society"

Submitted a research paper along with Ms. Salu Morish entitled, "Interrogation of Bride-Price from a subaltern feminist Perspective: Narration of the Bhil women" in Indian Anthropologist.

Membership gained of statutory and other prestigious bodies (such as membership of editorial boards of journals and book series)

Reviewer: Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health and Journal of African Studies and Development