Assistant professor of Gender and Political Economy
International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) The Hague, Netherlands.
Email: sree.sathi@iss.nl, ORCID: 0000-0002-2819-2804.
Academic Appointments
International Institute of Social Studies (ISS) The Hague, Netherlands. Assistant Professor, Gender and Political Economy, 2020 – present.
University of Virginia, Charlottesville, USA, Assistant Professor, Global Development Studies, Global Studies Program, 2016 - 2019.
Jamia Milia Islamia University, New Delhi, India, Assistant Professor, Department of Women’s Studies, 2007 - 2016.
Education
Ph.D. in Political Science, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, Dissertation: “Politics of Work and the Indian State: A Case Study of Anganwadi Workers in the National Capital Region”. 2015.
M.Sc., Gender and Development, London School of Economics and Political Science, UK, 2002.
Post-Graduate Diploma in Gender and Work at the IFU, Hanover University, Germany, 2000.
M.Phil., Political Science, Centre for Political Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, India, 1998.
M.A., Politics and International Relations, School of International Relations, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, 1996.
B.A., History, Economics, Political Science. Union Christian College, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, 1993.
Publications
Sole-Authored Books
State Without Honour: Women Workers in India’s Anganwadis, Oxford University Press, 2017.
Editor- Journal Special Issues
Forthcoming, Sole Editor “Debating Decolonial Thought”. Forum Debate Issue, Development and Change, 2026.
"The Political Economy of Global Reparations in the 21st Century" co-edited with Ndongo Samba Sylla, Andrew Fischer, Annina Kaltenbrunner, Development and Change, Forum Debate Issue, 2024.
“Sthreeyude Swathenna Sankalpavum Swathavakashavum,” (Women’s Concept of Property and Property Rights) Sanghaditha (Malayalam), Anweshi Publication, sole guest editor, Vol.10, Issue No. 3, 2015.
Articles and Book Chapters
Under Review. (2025). “A Worldwide Web of Algorithmic Governance: Surveillance, AI, and the Politics of Narrative Control".
Under Review. (2025). “The Labyrinth of Care, Home and Work: Lives of home care workers in India".
“Global Reparations within Capitalism: Aspirations and Tensions in Contemporary Movements for Reparatory Justice”. (2024). Introduction to the Forum Debate Issue with Sylla, Ndongo Samba, Andrew M. Fischer, Annina Kaltenbrunner. Development and Change.
"When My Brown Got Colored: Living Through/In the Times of White and Brahmanical Supremacy". (2023). Meridians- Duke University Press.
"Sectarian Citizenship and the Marginalized in the New India". (2023). Journal of State and Society, Vol.1, No.1, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India.
"Marriage murders and anti-caste feminist politics in India". (2023). Women's Studies International Forum.
"Unfreedoms in South India’s Tea Value Chain: Reproduction and Resistance". (2022). with Karin Astrid Siegmann Globalizations.
"Experiences of Eritrean and Ethiopian Migrants during Covid 19 in the Netherlands". (2022). with Bezawit Fantu, Genet Haile, Yordanos Lassooy Tekle, Binyam Afewerk Demena & Zemzem Shigute in Papyrakis, Elissaios (Ed), Covid 19 and International Development. The Hague, Netherlands: Springer.
"How do we pay back? Women Health Workers and the COVID-19 pandemic in India". (2021). Globalizations.
“The Honorary Women Workers in India’s Anganwadis”. (2021) in John, Mary E., & Meena Gopal, Eds., Women in the Worlds of Labor: Interdisciplinary and Intersectional Perspectives. Hyderabad: Orient Blackswan.
"Transnational Amazon: Labor Exploitation and the Rise of E-Commerce in South Asia". (2020) with Jeb Sprague in Ellen Reese and Jake Wilson, Eds., The Cost of Free Shipping: Amazon in the Global Economy. London, UK: Pluto Press.
“Punished if you care, punished if you don’t: Women Health Workers and the COVID-19 pandemic in India”. (2020). convivialthinking.org.
"Gender, Development and the Global". (2019) with Rosalba Icaza, Newsletter of the American Sociological Association's Sociology of Development Section.
"Rereading Nature, Reproduction and Motherhood: Towards an Alternative to Development”. (2018). Reflections on Politics of Ecology.
“Whatever Happened to Women’s Studies”. (2016). Economic and Political Weekly.
“Mapping Empowerment in Gender and Development”, (2015). Journal of Political Economy and Fiscal Federalism.
“Mummar Oru Chhondupalakayanu” . (2015). Sanghaditha (in Malayalam), Anweshi Publication.
“Nirbhaya-Fearlessly for Men,” (2014). countercurrents.org, October 15.
“Illegal Land, Illegal People,” (2013). in Speak Up! Sozialer Aufbruch und Widerstand in Indien, (Social Awakening and Resistance in India), (German), edited by Fleig, Elina; Kumar, Madhuresh; Weber, Jurgen. Berlin: Assoziation, pp. 90-98.
"Illegal Land, Illegal People’: The Chengara Land Struggle in Kerala,”. (2012). Economic and Political Weekly, Vol. XLVII, No. 30, pp. 21-24.
“Challenges before Kerala’s Landless: The Story of Aralam Farm,” (2010) Economic and Political Weekly.
“Understanding Being Queer: Exploring Sexuality and Sex Work” (2008) Indian Historical Review.
Book Review (2008) "Feminist Post-Development Thought" edited by Kriemild Saunders, Indian Journal of Gender Studies.
Book Review (2007) “A Relentless Battle”, review of the book From Mathura to Manorama: Resisting Violence against Women in India, by Kalpana Kannabiran and Ritu Menon, Biblio.
Book Review (2006) Against Empire: Feminism, Racism and the West, by Zillah Eisenstein, Feminist Review.
Research grants and funding (2020-2025)
Erasmus Plus Learning Mobility Grant for higher education between ISS and Port Loko University College (PLUC), Sierra Leone. 2024-2027.
Starter Grant "State Welfare Alternatives and Navigation Strategies" along with Gerard McCarthy, Bilge Sahin, and Rodrigo Mena involving Thailand, Eastern DRC, and India. 2024-2029.
Erasmus Trustfonds grant, "Robotization of care: The emerging scenario for care workers in Europe’s care economy", 2024-2025.
ISS General Research Funds, “Men in Home Care Industry in Kerala, India: Navigating Masculinities and Gender Division of Labor", 2023-2024.
Beyond 25/25: Towards Inclusive Academia Grant, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, 2024.
Erasmus Plus Cooperation Partnerships Grant, "Changing Our Story: The Pursuit of Inclusive Education", project coordinator for the Netherlands in collaboration with the University of West Bohemia, Pilsen, Czech Republic, NITRA, Slovakia and THUAS Netherlands. 2021-2024.
ISS Research Innovation Facility (RIF), for the project titled, "Research for Transformative Social Change: Toward Understanding and Applying Transformative Methodologies", with Karin Astrid Siegmann, Cynthia Embido Bejeno, Richard Toppo & Lize Swartz. 2020.
Leadership & management
Civic Innovation Research Group Management Team, of International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, April 2024 - August 2025.
Beyond 25/25: Towards Inclusive Academia program, Erasmus University, Rotterdam, The Netherlands. October 2023- October 2024.
Convener, Major in Social Justice Perspectives, International Institute of Social Studies of the Erasmus University in the Hague, Netherlands, 2021 – 2023.
Diversity and Inclusion Team, International Institute of Social Studies of the Erasmus University in the Hague, Netherlands, 2020 – 2023.
Kerala-Shared Research and Involvement (SRI) Lab Coordinator, Global Grounds, University of Virginia, 2018 – 2019.
Principal Organizer, International Conference, “Global Knowledges and Local Universities’, Global Studies Program, University of Virginia, March 22-23, 2018.
Program Advisor/Coordinator, M.A in Gender Studies, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi. 2015-2016.
Nodal Officer, University Grants Commission (UGC) e-scheme for the Development of Women’s Studies in Indian Universities and Colleges under India’s XII Plan, Jamia Milla Islamia, New Delhi, India, 2015 - 2016.
Global Development Studies Undergraduate Admissions Committee, Global Studies Program, University of Virginia, 2016 – 2018.
Global Grounds Film Series Coordinator, University of Virginia, 2016 – 2018.
University Grants Commission’s (UGC, New Delhi) Standing Committee for Women’s Studies for Curriculum Development for Undergraduate Teaching in Women’s Studies, 2010 – 2014.
Gender Sensitization Committee Against Sexual Harassment (GSCASH) at Jawaharlal Nehru University, New Delhi, 2009 – 2010.
Principal Coordinator, Refresher Course in “Gender Studies” for teachers at Academic Staff College, Jamia Milia Islamia, on behalf of the Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies and the Academic Staff College, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, October 7-29, 2010.
Principal Coordinator, National Seminar on “Lives of Dalit and Tribal Women in Contemporary India,” Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, March 10-12, 2010.
Teaching and Supervision
Coordinated a Master’s program in Gender Studies, Sarojini Naidu Centre for Women’s Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi. 2014 – 2016.
Designed and taught courses at the ISS: Graduate Courses taught: Feminist Perspectives on Gender and Development, Gender@ Work in Development & Contemporary Perspectives on Social Justice, Critical Social Policy for Transformative Development. 2020 – present.
Designed and taught courses at the Global Studies Program, University of Virginia, USA: Undergraduate courses taught: Social Movements and Development, Work, Women’s Work and Women Workers in South Asia, Binaries: Global Epistemologies from a Feminist Perspective, Gender, Development and Power, Development on the Ground, Engaged Learning for Global/Local Development (co-taught with David Edmunds). 2016-2019.
Designed and taught courses at the Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India: Graduate courses taught: Gender and Development, Research Methodology, Theories in Gender Studies. 2019.
Designed and taught graduate courses at the Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, India Graduate Courses taught: Gender Perspectives on Development, Feminist Theories, Status of Women in India, Gender Rights: International Initiatives. 2007-2015.
Designed and taught undergraduate courses at the Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, India: Introduction to Gender Studies, Gender, Development and Globalization, Women’s Movements: Global and Local, Introduction to Feminist Thought, Women’s Studies and Feminist Research. 2007-2015.
Designed and taught a graduate course at Mahatma Gandhi Antarashtriya Hindi Vishwavidyalaya, Wardha, Maharashtra, India, Department of Women’s Studies. Course taught: “Sexuality, Patriarchy, Social Reproduction”. 2009.
PhD Supervision (2020-2025)
Rui Wang: “Gendering Digital Platforms: Women, Wanghong Economy and She Power in TikTok”.
Drumo Zhoumaoji: “Tibetan Women in Transition: The increasing involvement of women in the nonfarm economy in Tibet, China”.
Brenda J. Rodríguez Cortés: “Sexual subjectivities of women in the city of Monterrey, Mexico".
Journal Editorial Board Membership
"Development and Change"- Development studies journal published on behalf of International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague, The Netherlands. 2022 to present.
Advisory Board membership
School of Gender Studies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, 2022.
Society for Learning through Advancement and Empowerment (SLATE) Trust, New Delhi. 2017 to present.
Social Movements Lab Project, Duke University, Franklin Humanities Institute in collaboration with Bologna Academy and University of Virginia, 2017-2019.
Centre for Education and Communication (CEC), New Delhi, 2014-2016.
Teaching Qualification Certificates and Training
Risbo University Teaching Qualification Certificate (BKO), April 2023.
Ignite Scholar Certificate, University of Virginia, Teacher’s Training Course for Full-Time Faculty, January-April 2018.
Teacher’s Training Course, Course Design Institute, Centre for Teaching Excellence University of Virginia June 19-23, 2017.
National Eligibility for Lectureship in ‘Women’s Studies’, University Grants Commission (UGC), India, December 2005.
Awards
LSE-ACU Scholarship, Masters in Gender and Development at the London School of Economics, United Kingdom, 2001.
DAAD Scholarship, Post-Graduate Diploma at the International Women’s University (IFU), Hanover University, Germany, 2000.
First Rank with scholarship, Masters in Politics and International Relations, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, India,1996.
Invited Talks, Conference Presentations and Special Lectures
“Robotization of Care: The emerging scenario for care workers in Europe’s care economy”. ISS, 2025.
"The Labyrinth of Care, Home and Work: Lives of home care workers in India". ISS, 2025.
"Intersectional feminist methodology from a Global South perspective", EU COST ACTION Platform Work Inclusion Living Lab (PWILL) PhD Training School, Erasmus University, Rotetrdam, June 3, 2025.
"Mind the gap(s)? The political economy of feminist knowledge production in women, gender and development studies across global south/north divide", panel presentation, European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI) Conference, Lisbon, Portugal, July 10-13, 2023.
"‘Android Kunjappan’ Versus Men in Care Work", 41st International Labour Process Conference, Glasgow, UK, April 12-14, 2023.
“Women’s/Gender Studies in South Asia: Challenges and the path forward”, School of Advanced Studies in Social Sciences (EHESS), Paris, February 14, 2023.
"Neoliberalism, Hindutva and Women in Social Welfare Work in India- A Feminist Perspective", Gender, Work and Organization (GWO) Conference & Colloquium on 'A Decolonial view beyond the borders', Bogota/Hybrid format, June 21-24, 2022.
"Transformative Methodologies", Institute of Development Policy, University of Antwerp, Belgium, December 2, 2022.
"Global Solidarity and Covid 19", Opening Plenary, European Association of Development Research and Training Institutes (EADI), July 5, 2021.
"Revaluing India's welfare workers" Kerala Council for Historical Research May 31, 2021.
"Transnational capital, women workers, and the new Hindu India," International Online Lecture Series in Honour of the Founding Pillars of SIRP (School of International Relations and Politics), Mahatma Gandhi University (MGU), Kerala, December 21, 2020.
"Book discussion on Isabel Wilkerson's Caste: The Origins of Our Discontents" by Dalit Intellectual Collective Book Discussion Series. October 10, 2020.
“Blue Revolution meets Green Revolution: Modernizing food production: Response by women In Resistance,” organized by Center for Financial Accountability, New Delhi, India. July 28, 2020.
“Cinema Charchakal”, Webinar organized by Women in Cinema Collective (WCC), Kerala, India, June 21, 2020.
"From 'Third World to Global South": Understanding Global South Epistemologies, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kerala, India, November 13, 2019.
"Between the Formal and the Informal," International Institute of Social Studies, The Hague. September 3, 2019.
“The Third World”, Journal Launch Lecture at the Wilson Journal of International Affairs, University of Virginia, USA, April 17, 2019.
“Marriage in Times of Love Jihad,” Distinguished Lecture in International Studies, Program in Asian & Middle Eastern Studies, College of William and Mary, Williamsburg, VA, October 1, 2018.
“Development and Decolonization”, University of Oaxaca, Mexico, Social Emancipation Summer School Seminar on “Post Development and Decoloniality” August 14, 2018.
“When My Brown Got Colored,” Global Studies Conference on “Globalization, Race and New Nationalism,” Howard University, Washington D.C, June 6-8, 2018.
“Real Talk: Unmasking Intersectionality,” Multicultural Student Center, University of Virginia, March 30, 2018.
“Global Feminism: Cultural Understandings of Feminism and Equality,” Indian Students Association, University of Virginia, March 29, 2018.
“Gender Sensitization in Development: Issues and Prospects,” Department of Economics, Maharajas College, Ernakulam, Kerala, India, July 31, 2017.
“On Intersectional Feminism, ‘Community Development,” symposium on Challenges in Equitable Development, organized by Yamuna River Project, University of Virginia, April 14, 2017.
“The Women’s Panel,” Multicultural Student Center and the United Nations Women at UVA, University of Virginia, April 12, 2017.
“Definition of Work and the History of Women’s Work,” National Seminar on “Kerala Economy: Challenges and Way Forward,” organized by the K.N. Raj Centre for Planning and Centre-State Finance Relations, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, March 28-29, 2015.
“Emerging Perspectives in Feminist Research Methodology,” Area Studies Research Methodology Workshop on “Researching the Arab/Islamic World: Epistemological and Methodological Issues,” India Arab Cultural Centre, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, March 12-13, 2015.
“Feminist Research Methodology; New Perspectives,” Refresher Course in Gender Studies, Academic Staff College, Calicut University, Kerala, January 20, 2015.
“Understanding Gender Politics: A Perspective on the Contemporary Malayali Life World,” Keralavarma College, Kerala, January 19, 2015.
“Understanding the Informal Sector in India from a Gender Perspective,” National Seminar on “Human Rights and Good Governance in India and West Asia,” organized by Centre for West Asian Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, November 25-26, 2014.
“Rereading Nature, Reproduction and Motherhood: Towards an Alternative to Development,” National Seminar on “Re-imagining Human-Nature Relationship: Focusing North Bengal,” organized by Salesian College, Siliguri, Darjeeling, West Bengal and Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi, November 21-22, 2014.
“Methodological Issues of Researching Gender,” Training Workshop on Research Methodology for Social Sciences, Council for Social Development, New Delhi, September 24, 2014.
“For More Rights and Less ‘Honour’: The Sarkari Social Workers of Anganwadis,” Women in the Worlds of Labour: Interdisciplinary and Intersectional Perspectives, organized by at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, Centre for Women’s Development Studies, Delhi and Indian Council of Social Science Research at Tata Institute of Social Sciences, Mumbai, February 21-22, 2014.
“Adivasi Women’s Work and Entitlements,”, Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, in collaboration with Indian Association for Women’s Studies (IAWS) and Council for Social Development (CSD, Hyderabad), September 3, 2013.
“Gender, Transversal Politics and Intersectionality; A Workshop on New Methods in Feminist Research,” organized by Inter University Centre for Social Science Research and Extension (IUCSSRE), Mahatma Gandhi University, Kottayam, Kerala, September 3, 2013.
“Between the Devil and the Deep Sea: Ethnographies of Livelihoods,” International Summer School, New Delhi, hosted by the Department of Political Science, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, June 27, 2013.
“Illegal land, Illegal People,” National Workshop on “Exclusions: Gender and Politics in South Asia,” Developing Countries Research Centre, University of Delhi, supported by National Commission for Women Delhi September 14-15, 2012.
“Role of Women and Communities in People’s Movements,” National Seminar on “People’s Governance, State Accountability and Movement Mechanism,” Indian Social Institute, New Delhi, August 29, 2011.
“Kerala’s Landless: Struggles by the Adivasi Community,” National Seminar on “Militant Left Radicalism, State and Civil Society: The Centrality of Tribal Land Rights,” Council for Social Development, New Delhi, December 10-11, 2010.
“Yes to Reservation with Some Reservations,” Seminar on “Women’s Reservation Bill- 2010,” K.R. Narayanan Centre for Dalit and Minority Studies, Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi, August 10, 2010.
“A Gender perspective on the Strategic Diversity in the Contemporary Land Struggles of the Marginalized,” National Seminar on “Special Economic Zones and Resistance of the Marginalized People,” Madras Institute of Development Studies (MIDS), Chennai, July 27, 2010.
“Gendering the Representation of Politics of Terror in Contemporary India,” International Conference on “Media, Culture and Ideology,” Osmania University Centre for International Programs, Hyderabad, January 29-31, 2009.
“Tribe and Gender- Crosscutting Identities,” Developing Countries Research Centre, Grassroots Politics Colloquium (GPC) on Identity and Politics in India, University of Delhi, February 22-23, 2008.
“The Development Onslaught & the Women in Dalit and Adivasi Struggles,” XII National Conference on “Feminism, Education and the Transformation of Knowledges,” Indian Association of Women’s Studies, University of Lucknow, Lucknow, February 7-10, 2008.
“Feminist Queers and Queer Feminists: An Indian Reading,” XI National Conference on “Sovereignty, Citizenship and Gender,” Indian Association of Women’s Studies, Dona Paula, Goa, May 3-6, 2005.
“Kerala’s Development from a Gender Perspective: A Study in the Context of Globalization,” International Women’s University (IFU) Conference, Hanover University, Germany, October 16, 2000.
“Democracy and Difference” at the International Conference on ‘Justice or Barbarism,” Rosa Luxemburg Foundation, Berlin, October 5-6, 2000.
Societal Impact and Engagement
Beyond the DEI backlash: The E+CHOS project on diversity and inclusion in higher education. ISS News, 2025.
“World Social Justice Day: reflections on care work and dignity”. Interview with ISS, https://www.iss.nl/en/news/world-social-justice-day-reflections-care-work-and-dignity, 2024.
"Race and Caste": Week Against Racism talks, Pakhuis de Zwijger, Amsterdam and ISS, The Netherlands, 2024.
“താലിബാനുമായി ചങ്ങാത്തമാകാമോ?” (“Is it okay to be friends with Taliban”?) Editor's hour, Reporter TV Live, Malayalam News channel, Kerala, 2021.
“Corona science: ‘The Indian government needs to get their act together, to avoid more unnecessary deaths’”, Interview, Erasmus Magazine, 2021.
"ചരിത്രത്തിലേക്ക് ജോ ബൈഡൻ" (“Joe Biden Entering History”) Analysis of the US presidential elections, inauguration on Reporter TV Live, Malayalam news channel, Kerala, 2021.
"How Kerala’s response to the COVID-19 pandemic is highlighting inadequate responses elsewhere," BlISS- ISS Blogpost, 2020.
"India’s Rahul Gandhi Resigns, PM Modi Faces Little Opposition to Far-Right Agenda," The Real News Network, USA, 2019.
“Chengarayude Pathu Varsham: Keralathinte Nilapadenthu?,”Azhimukham Malayalam News Online, 2017.
"Irikkaatha Stree Prathimakal", Azhimukham Malayalam News Online, 2015.
“Aralavum, Adivasiyum Punaradhivaasathinte pichhachhattiyum,” Azhimukham Malayalam News Online, September 8, 2014.
Languages
English, Hindi, Malayalam
References
Available on request.