Research Focus

An institute that acknowledges research as a public and a commitment to truth, the Sundar Singh Institute of South Asian Studies, recognizes such practice as a component of possibility located at the intersection of theoretical inquiry and practical engagement, and a meeting point that was part of an intentional process of understanding the social, political, cultural, and economic complexities of South Asia today.

Grounded in a tradition of intellectual independence and service to the public, the Institute has committed to an ethos of research that engages critically and socially. Our work often in direct response to the challenges of the moment in the region, from the deepening governance inequalities to the ecological and ethical dilemmas of habitation, intends to generate knowledge that is both academically sound and socially relevant. For example, our research is consulted by government departments, policy makers, non-gover form of practice integrity to thenmental actors and civil movement activists looking for critical, useful knowledge from a place of trust.

The Institute embraces an understanding of interdisciplinarity as part and parcel of its academic philosophy. We believe no discipline can provide a totalizing understanding of the social realities of South Asian life; whether it be historical, political, economic, ethical, or cultural, our research crosses disciplinary borders in an attempt to present an inclusive and integrated understanding of the challenges and possibilities that the region presents. For us, scholarship with a past, a present, and a future is especially important. Scholarship that studies issues of the past, deals with issues of the present, and anticipates questions of a just, inclusive, and sustainable future. In this regard, we find it important to study issues of poverty, issues of governance reform, and issues of sustainable development as we frame their relationship to issues of demographic pressures, issues of religious pluralism, and issues of social and cultural change. We embrace forms of transformative scholarship that span both the academy and the publics in which we live and work; we are interested in scholarship that engages with the world not solely by interpreting it, but actively trying to improve it. As such, we also envision that the intent of our research lives in the realm of building the normative grounds and accountabilities of democratic institutions in South Asia.

We welcome poverty and governance reform and sustainable development in a region substantially influenced by population density and religious intervention in social and public life. We welcome the potential of transformative scholarship that not only has meaning to academic value but also carries deserving weight in public discourse to render and reinforce sustainable accountability of democratic institutions across South Asia.

One of the key strengths of the Institute is the institutionalized understanding of governance and public policy. We interrogate the framework and possibilities of institutional design and operation for implications of social equity and developmental justice. Our work is substantive enough to examine policies and practices in a relatively extensive manner, resulting in conceptual advancements in both policy and civil society engagement. We have scholars who sit as advisors with quasi-governmental organizations and activist networks to not only provide the empirical grounding but also the conceptual clarity for their approaches toward meaningful reform (local, national, or regional) in civic life.

Our Major Research Areas:
Socio-legal Justice and Human Rights: Social inequality, along with justice/human rights interventions, are investigated according to their effect on vulnerable populations and then the regional implications of global organizations. Culture Memory and Historical Consciousness: How the elements that shape collective memory and aspects of historiography influence contemporary identity and social action, which researchers understand the changing socio-cultural landscapes of South Asia with respect to these connections. Philosophy, Ethics and Public Life: The researchers collaboratively engage modes of ethical inquiry as they relate to pertinent issues in environmental ethics, bioethics, and ideas in political philosophy. The research is relevant contributions to a public space sustained by ethical responsibility. Society, Governance, and Policy: Researchers have established links with governmental roles, institutional reform, and socio-political issues, thus researchers have established links to provide scholars with an appropriate intervention for South Asia’s policymakers.

Society, Governance, and Policy: Through long-standing engagements with government, institutional reform, and socio-political issues, we have the established relationships to offer scholars enriching intervention for South Asian policymakers.

Sustainable Development: We provide policy commentary on environmentally sensible and sustained initiatives to facilitate advanced environmental sustainability and economic development for South Asia..

The institute is characterized not only by the subjects we study but also by the means through which we study them. Our multidisciplinary framework invites investigation from philosophy, history, sociology, political science, economics, and more to foster an ever-growing engaged intellectual community that appreciates theoretical results for practical application.

The institute is defined by what we study but also how we study. Our interdisciplinary framework allows engagement by employing philosophy, history, sociology, political science, economics, etc. to create an ever-expanding engaged intellectual community that values theoretical outcomes for practical applications.

While attempting to understand many regional differences across South Asia, while engaging with global goals of globalization, the research presented by the Sundar Singh Institute is impactful, as it crosses regional boundaries with appeal to the minds and hearts of all scholars and citizens.

In the end, we want to seek improved understandings of South Asia. We welcome scholarship, or intellectual inquiry that goes beyond theoretical interests. Therefore, research is also about advancing the cause of social justice, not only for academic gain. This will ensure that our rationally based inquiry would be more than an academic exercise; we can be an engine for change.