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, Hawaii. Training as a sociologist in both (South) Asian and North American (and the Pacific Hawaiian) contexts. My research interest lies at the intersection of political ecology, environmental sociology, and science and technology studies (STS), with particular attention to environmental justice in the global south. I study the "invisible engines" of globalization-- the ships, particularly the transnational trade of the end-of-life vessels destined for recycling. I examine how global labor regimes, developmentalist schemes, and environmental governance intersect to obfuscate the question of environmental injustice, thereby reproducing colonial relations through the global waste economy.

I am critically reflexive to the epistemic intersection of the Global North and the Global South. 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 in Bangladesh.

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, Bangladesh, where I completed both my bachelor’s and master’s degrees, supported by research grants on garment workers’ movements and transgender access to healthcare. Over the years, I have worked with esteemed scholars 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 being reflexive to the 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 the aim of a strong academic foundation, I am channeling my enthusiasm into impactful research and advocacy endeavors. 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