As an ethnologist working in the discipline of political science, my research follows an interdisciplinary methodology of social anthropology as well as political theory. My research interests lie in the politics of Dalit literature in South Asia. I am interested in continental philosophy, political theology, and Dalit religion.
Presently working as the State-Level Project Lead for the Project: IB21-013 Christ University - KAS Study on Youth Perception of the Rule of Law in India (2022).
Swiss Government Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow (ESKAS), 2023-2024 at the Institute for Social Anthropology and Empirical Cultural Studies, University of Zurich.
BA Political Science (Presidency College)
MA Political Studies (CPS, JNU)
MPhil Political Studies (CPS, JNU).
PhD (CPS, JNU).
Swiss Government Excellence Postdoctoral Fellow (ESKAS), 2023-2024 at the University of Zurich.
ICAS:MP Postdoctoral Fellowship by The German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMBF), 2023-2024 (Did not accept).
Inlaks Research Fellow, 2016 for Visting Fellow Position(2017) at the New Zealand India Research Institute, Victoria University of Wellington (Did not accept).
JNU ICC & SOAS South Asia Institue Travel Fellowship (2016)
1. Assistant Professor (Ad hoc) at SBSEC, DU (2014-5)
2. Guest Faculty at SBSEC, DU (2015- April, 2016)
3. Assistant Professor (Ad hoc) IP College for Women, DU, 2016.
Book Chapters:
Roy, Rajat (2022). "Postcolonial Theory and its Outcastes: Reading Social Visions of Anti-Caste Thinkers in Bengal" in Tanika Sarkar and Sekhar Bandyopadhyay ed. Caste in Bengal: Histories of Hierarchy, Exclusion, and Resistance. Ranikhet: Permanent Black.
Roy, Rajat (forthcoming). "Caste, Experiences and Dalit Literature: Some Conceptual Explorations" (Invited: Contribution to a volume on Bengali Dalit Literature: Reflections on Caste, Culture and Representation edited by Kalyan Kumar Das, to be published by Routledge).
Articles in Journals
Peer-Reviewed:
Roy, Rajat. "Politics of Identity contra Anti-caste Social Visions: The Matua Problem and Beyond." "Special Article" in Economic and Political Weekly. Vol. 57, Issue 42. October 2022.
Roy, Rajat. "From Postcolonial Irony to Dalit Truth: A Perspective on Experience." 'Special Article' in Economic and Political Weekly. Vol. 55, Issue 47. November 2020.
Roy, Rajat. "Namasudra Literature and the Politics of Caste in West Bengal." Sanglap: Journal of Literary and Cultural Inquiry. Vol. 6, Issue 1. October 2019.
Book Review:
Jaiswal, Suvira. "The Making of Brahmanic Hegemony: Studies in Caste, Gender and Vaishnava Theology" (Tulika Books, New Delhi, 2016). The Book Review, Vol. XLI, Number 3, March 2017.
Upadhyay, Shashi Bhushan. "Historiography In The Modern World: Western And Indian Perspectives" (Oxford University Press, 2016). The Book Review, Vol. XLI, Number 5, May 2017.
Sil, Sekhar. "Representation of Colonial Women in Bengali Cinema: Inner and Outer Worlds of Bhadramahila" (Papyrus, Kolkata, 2016), Socialist Perspective, Vol 46, Numbers 1-4, March, 2019.
Byapari, Manoranjan. "Jiboner Dandik Bamdik" (Rritobak, Kolkata, 2020), Anandabazar Patrika, 22 January, 2022. Link- https://www.anandabazar.com/culture/book-reviews/review-of-a-book-written-by-manoranjan-byapari/cid/1324904?fbclid=IwAR0DseegCAGMEYZjtZVJy3olGLW3ebE8P-m1Q7IsRWOCGZ6o09Yvdnq4Ytg
Mrinmay Pramanik. "Dalit Sahitya Charcha" (Gangchil, Kolkata, 2022), Anandabazar Patrika, 04 March, 2023. Link- https://www.anandabazar.com/culture/book-reviews/review-of-a-book-related-to-dalit-literature-edited-by-mrinmoy-pramanik/cid/1411594?fbclid=IwAR07dWrzssNMnCTNLix3Zqw3eL0ecsoUgPxvEnXnV2G6GbcaRic2kKjsgjo
Op-ed:
Roy, Rajat. “Matuader Chokhe shudhu BJP noy, Sob Dol-e kom-beshi Brahmonbaadi,” 19/05/2021, Anandabazar Patrika. Link- https://http://www.anandabazar.com/editorial/essays/not-only-bjp-but-all-other-political-parties-are-more-or-less-brahminical-in-eyes-of-matuas/cid/1281860?fbclid=IwAR0sIrELeTdXxUn37ouLjqV0LRPu07BoEbPE9gX2xYYGngfatqOfPbk8BL0
Roy Rajat & Soumick De. “Happiness without laughter: Lessons on enjoyment from a land of un-
happy consciousness,” 12/02/2021, Indian Cultural Forum. Link- https://indianculturalforum.in/2021/02/12/happiness-without-laughter-lessons-on-enjoyment-from-a-land-of-unhappy-consciousness/?fbclid=IwAR3VP2BVlKU8SdJXKFYomveHtJOeWqXnb9W_4KoO8fHaZZHxhCjA5Mn8ZDU
Roy, Rajat. Does Merit Have a Caste, 19/09/2020, The Wire. Link- https://thewire.in/education/merit-caste-maroona-murmu
Roy, Rajat. "Medha Ki Kebol-e Byaktigato,” 14/02/2020, Anandabazar Patrika. Link- https://www.anandabazar.com/editorial/reservation-policy-has-brought-some-equality-in-our-society-1.1108876?fbclid=IwAR317qxOALTDVrJ_Q55vRGLi6cZoPTPwO2IgMMfF9TxfwtJePeNwSTtqtaQ
Media & Podcast:
"Debt and Service: The Logic of Caste" (EPW Research Radio) https://www.epw.in/engage/article/debt-and-service-logic-caste / https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iMV51NL_8rc
Presidency University Students Corner