Teaching and Research Statement
Teaching and Research Statement
I have a great passion for teaching. As learner and teacher, I learnt that teaching is a process of mutual learning and this is so especially in the research oriented environment where we constantly strive to explore the limits of knowledge and learn new knowledge. Good teaching certainly may not be pragmatic without research because research helps develop the teaching aspects and vice-versa. In my teaching I bring my research experience and theory to create connections within the context of the course and beyond. This technique help the students understand the social reality around them. I follow students-centric approach to create an environment in which students can positively shape their own learning experience and articulate the concepts. In this method students are not simply left to be fended but enable the students to think critically and make connections between classroom learning and social reality. I also seek to create equal opportunities for every learner that they will be able to create their own space and identify their talents and pursue their interest.
I try to engage students in a variety of ways by employing a conversational lecture style as often as I could to encourage full participation, open discussion, and creativity. This method helps the students fully engage in the classroom lectures. Sometimes I seek to enhance the students perspectives by asking them to take a moment and note down the course they learned and queries they have. I believe one of my greatest assets as teacher and leaner is my ability to handle the queries of the students and gives clarity of the concepts. And although I follow an approachable teaching style, I hold the students the standard of professionalism in work. It is rewarding to see my students grasp the lesson that I taught and embrace the values that I instilled in them. Given my background and experience I believe I will be effective in teaching both graduate and undergraduate course. I enjoy the challenges inherent in teaching as much as I do with the opportunities and will continue to demonstrate the value as a teacher and colleague through tenure and beyond.
Research Statement
Some points
Why did I choose Ph.d topic on Development and Underdevelopment?
Nagaland is my state, one of the most neglected and underdeveloped states, growing up I saw corruption, mis-utilization of funds, no improvement in infrastructure, road and transportation etc, hence became interest in this area
Why did I choose Mon district?
The most underdeveloped district and is located on the extreme remote region bordering Burma (Myanmar). Not many want to travel to Mon district due to the distance and the lack of basic amenities. The district is the home of the Konyak Naga tribe, the largest Naga tribes but but not much studies have been done on the community residing in Mon District.
Silent features of my Phd- First, it analyses the levels of development in terms of key indicators of socio-economic development. Second, it examines the different developmental schemes initiated by the government and the utilization pattern, problems and challenges and their suitability to peoples needs and their impact. Third, it evaluates the existing infrastructure and their operational system and the extent to which the people are being benefited. Fourth, it focuses on the causes and conditions perpetuating underdevelopment. Finally, it focuses on peoples responses to the strategies of development.
4. Finding
- suggests that some of the important factors that contribute to underdevelopment are corruption, insurgency, tribalism, ignorance and passive attitude, easy money and high dependence on government jobs, ignorance of democratic rights and money power in politics, exemption of income tax and low revenue generation etc.
5. How it contributes to the broader field or why is my research important within my field/discipline (sociology)?
-helps contribute the discipline by producing new knowledge, helps produce material on the districts and its community, helps promote awareness to the community being studied, etc.
5. All my present articles are on development related topics.
6. Present
-working on Naga Customary Law and its constraints on women in development.
7. Future
- would like to go further and explore other areas as well. One of them will be on the ethnographic study of the tribes inhabiting in two nations viz. India and Burma. It is an interesting field that I discovered during my filed work for my Ph.D thesis. Other areas of interest are North East tribal Hinduism, and North-East Hindu tribal version of social stratification etc.
