PR: I am working on a few different projects that broadly focus on questions of democracy, de-democratization, inequality, and human rights.

 

I just published a piece with Rina Agarwala (Johns Hopkins, Sociology) in the Annual Review of Sociology titled "The Perils and Promises of Unequal Democracy: Lessons from the Sociology of India." This is a sadly timely piece that offers insights on how democracy shrinks and how it can be expanded.

 

I also have an edited volume titled Pandemic Inequality: Citizenship & Covid 19 in India with Gabi Kruks-Wisner (UVA, Politics). This is under contract at Oxford and hopefully will be released later this year.
 

My big solo project right now focuses on the fetal personhood movement in the United States, tracing the movement's evolution and impact on reproductive rights. I'm finding this research to be both challenging and rewarding because it affords me the chance to understand a political movement that is reshaping so many domains of social life in our country

PR: I don't struggle with motivation or inspiration, especially in challenging times. There is so much happening, every hour in every corner of the world, and some of it is wonderful, but much of it is devastating. I became a sociologist because I am extremely curious about other people's lives and ideas - why people behave the way they do, and how they come to believe what they believe. I am routinely puzzled by people's actions and statements: and not just those I conduct research with, but colleagues, friends, family members, neighbors, politicians, and activists.

 

There are more puzzles now than at any point I can remember in my conscious existence. I would go so far as to say that we are probably living in one of the most puzzling times since the inter-war period of the 20th century. Social scientists' taken for granted "truths" are being challenged like never before. Our models for predicting political behavior are breaking down, our understanding of free trade and global alliances, and our expectations of how elected officials relate to capitalists. In the face of so many sociological puzzles and unanswered questions, the challenge for me involves staying focused and trying not to get too confused.

PR: I teach the following classes: Politics of Reproductive Justice; What's Wrong with Empowerment?; States Power Politics.
 

I enjoy all the classes I teach. They all touch on important social issues in politics, gender, and development, and are all linked to my research and pressing current events. I enjoy teaching because it brings me into contact with Brown students. The best thing about teaching at Brown is the students: they are brilliant, hardworking, and extremely nice (at least the ones I have had the pleasure to meet). It's an amazing privilege to be paid to read, stay well informed, and debate social life with such amazing interlocutors.

PR: David Bowie opens his song Modern Love by claiming: "I know when to go out/ Know when to stay in." To me, these lines are a metaphor for a larger dilemma: what do you say yes to and what do you say no to? The times I have said yes - to people, professional commitments, learning opportunities, and social events - have been just as important for me as the times I have said no.
 

Saying no is hard in the short term: you feel stressed about giving up opportunities and disappointing people. But saying no is easier in the long term: it allows you to focus on what you say yes to, to be better at the yes, to be less exhausted, and to not feel resentful. I find that students these days feel compelled to say yes to too many things, to constantly add and expand rather than subtract. I encourage all of you to figure out what is important to you, and say no to everything else.