S M Anowarul Kayes Shimul

Welcome to my website. I am Shimul, S. M. A. K., a senior lecturer at the Department of Sociology at East West University, Bangladesh, and a PhD student in Sociology at the University of Hawai‘i at Mānoa, USA. Trained as a sociologist in both South Asian and North American contexts, my research broadly explores how inequality, environment, work, economy, and governance intersect in everyday life. 

My academic work lies at the intersection of political ecology, environment, STS, suicide, work and economy, and social policy studies. I am critically attentive to the epistemic boundaries of the Global North and engage with locally grounded knowledge traditions in the Global South. I am particularly interested in how global political-economic processes shape the lives and livelihoods of marginalized populations in Bangladesh and beyond. My recent projects include studies on male suicide in Bangladesh, labor unrest in the garment industry and dispute resolution practices of inland water transport workers, and women’s migration across state borders.

Before starting my PhD at UH Mānoa, I served as a lecturer and later senior lecturer at East West University. I was actively involved in curriculum reform through outcome-based education (OBE) and accreditation initiatives with the Bangladesh Accreditation Council (BAC) and led several academic field trips, seminars, and student research projects. I have presented research at international forums, including the XX ISA World Congress in Melbourne, and have published in journals such as OMEGA – Journal of Death and Dying, International Social Science Journal, and Journal of Community Positive Practices.

My early training in sociology began at the University of Dhaka, where I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees with funded research on garment workers’ movements and transgender access to healthcare. Over the years, I have worked with esteemed scholars, including Dr. Ali Riaz, Dr. Anisur Rahman Khan, and Dr. Monirul Islam Khan, as a research assistant on various national and international projects.

Being passionate about sociology, philosophy, and the arts, I view the world through the lens of relevance and irrelevance while avoiding binary judgments and immediate conclusions. As an avid observer and introspective ethnographer, I continuously record and critically analyze reality from a sociological standpoint. My journey involves unraveling the complexities of society while embracing its nuances. With a strong academic foundation, I am channeling my enthusiasm into impactful research and advocacy endeavors. My transdisciplinary interests fuel my desire to contribute to positive change, all while maintaining an open-minded perspective that nurtures creativity and understanding. I am keen to collaborate, learn, and share insights with like-minded individuals who value the exploration of societal dynamics, critical thinking, and the broader/smaller dimensions of human experience.

This website serves as my virtual academic CV, bringing together my scholarly interests, teaching portfolio, research experience, and publication history. I welcome academic collaborations and remain committed to socially engaged and methodologically rigorous sociology.

S M Anowarul Kayes Shimul
Graduate Student and Graduate Teaching Assistant
Department of Sociology
University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Senior Lecturer, Department of Sociology
East West University, Bangladesh