Violence against women, intimate and family violence, violence against children, sexual harassment and sexual violence, economic violence against women, gendered violence and sexuality, rape in marriage, femicide, responses to violence against women;

Gender and society, gender and socialization, gender and development, gender and education, gender and migration, women in academia;

 
Children's and girls rights, women's rights, housing rights for women, gender and workplace rights;

 
Feminist pedagogy and feminist research methodology;

 
Group methods, gender in groups, democratic leadership, transformatory leadership, conflicts as opportunities for self growth, conflict management, creativity in classrooms;

 
Curriculum development, decolonising curriculum, gender inclusive curriculum and training of teachers of adult education.

2023: Femicide in India. In Dawson Myrna and Vega Saide M ( Eds), The Routledge International Handbook on Femicide and Feminicide. Oxon: Routledge.

2020: Express Entry and Economic Migration Pathways to Canada: Opportunities and Barriers for South Asian women. Coauthored with Vathsala Illesinghe and Khalid Iftekhar. In Working Paper Series, Working Paper No. 2020/9.Ryerson Centre for Immigration and Settlement (RCIS) and the CERC in Migration and Integration at Ryerson University.

2017: Academic Mothers in the Developing World: Stories from India, Brazil and South Africa. Co-authored with Pillay, Bhana, de Mattos and de Castro. Africa World Press: New Jersey.

 
2016 : Femicide of Girls in Contemporary India. In Ex Aequo. Coauthored with Shalva Weil . Number 34-p31-43

https://exaequo.apem-estudos.org/artigo/femicide-of-girls-in-contemporary-india

2016: Feminist Responses to Violence against Women in India. Discover Society. March 1, 2016.Issue 30.Social Research Publications and Policy Press.

http://discoversociety.org/2016/03/01/feminist-responses-to-violence-against-women-in-india

2015:Child Marriage and Early Motherhood. Understandings from Lived Experience . Co-edited with S . Parasuraman. Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Centre for Excellence on Adolescents and Youth: Mumbai.(Research Report).

 
2015: Child Marriage and Early Motherhood: Life Stories of Young People. Co-edited with S . Parasuraman. Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Centre for Excellence on Adolescents and Youth: Mumbai.(Research Report).

2013: Violence against Women : An International and Interdisciplinary Journal . Guest Editor. Co-edited with Gill Hague. Special Issue titled Transnational Conversations on Sociological Responses to Violence against Women in India and the United Kingdom. Vol 19, Number 10. October.

2013: 'Intimate Violence, Family, and Femininity: Women’s Narratives on their Construction of Violence and Self'. In Violence Against Women: An International and Interdisciplinary Journal . Special Issue : Transnational Conversations on Sociological Responses to Violence against Women in the India and the United Kingdom .Vol 19, Number 10. October.

2013:'Sexual Violence within Intimate Contexts of Marriage: Integrating Human Rights and Public Health Approach for Gender Sensitive Interventions'. In Keerty Nakray (Ed.), Gender Based Violence and Public Health: International Perspectives on Budgets and Policies. London: Routledge.

 
2013: 'Sexual Violence and Culture of Silence in India: A Critical Appraisal of the Role of Health Services'. In Keerty Nakray (Ed.), Gender Based Violence and Public Health: International Perspectives on Budgets and Policies. London: Routledge.

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1177/1077801213506287

2011:Gender, Sexuality and Violence: Issues and Perspectives. Student Working Paper Series. Centre for Women's Studies. Mumbai : Tata Institute of Social Sciences. (Printed and Distributed)

 
2011: In Conversation: Negotiating Femininity and Intimacies in our Lives. Co-authored with Pooja Nair. In Samita Sen, Ranjita Biswas and Nandita Dhawan (Eds), Intimate Others: Marriage and Sexualities in India. Kolkatta: Stree.

2011:'Domestic Violence Research: Expanding Understandings...Limited Perspective. Reflections from India'. In Feminist Review. Special Issue on Feminist Theory & Activism in Global Perspective: FR Conference Proceedings, 0141-7789/11 London, UK. (e62–e78).

https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.1057/fr.2011.27

2004: Best Practices among Responses to Domestic Violence in Maharashtra and Madhya Pradesh. In Mishra Renuka (Ed) Compendium on Good Practices in Police: Gender Issues Volume IV. Hyderabad: SVP National Police Academy

Current/ Ongoing

Study of Economic Violence against Women (Dec.2022- ongoing): This partnership with Technical University of Munich, Germany, is a consultancy looking at women's experiences of economic violence and abuse in their natal and marital homes from three Indian Statesand exploring measures to prevent such violence.

 Decolonising Social Work Practice Education (Field Instruction): Build tailored intervention model/action plans for Social Work Schools ( March 2023- ongoing):An international study focusing on decolonial perspective in conflict zones to impact social work student's curriculum and practice. The Study involves TISS, India, University of Helsinki, Sapir College,Israel, University of Sussex, UK, Flinders University, Australia, Malmo University, Sweden, University of East Anglia, UK.

Research Project Titled Social Work Crosses Borders But Does Our Education? (2021- ongoing) An international study involving University of Sterling, Scotland, UK; Mount Royal University, Alberta, Canada; University of Calgary, Alberta, Canada; and the Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India. The Project looks at students studying abroad and their experiences of the curriculum and its appropriateness and how it may be decolonized especially for students coming from India, respecting difference in cultural values, needs and perspectives.

An International Perspective on the Use of Journaling to Promote Student’s Transformative Learning and Resilience during COVID-19. (2020- ongoing) This research aims to understand student’s experiences of using reflective journaling during a Masters term as a part of an online and/or blended learning approach to the COVID-19 pandemic. The project explores student perceptions of journaling as a teaching and learning strategy that facilitates (or not) transformative learning and the ways in which journaling can help to integrate student’s current life experiences with that of their education. A sample of 500 students were engaged from eight countries from institutions of higher education in Canada, India, Israel, Jersey, Spain, Sweden, U.K., U.S.A.

Housing Rights of Women in Slums and Gendered Violence of Everyday Life (2019- ongoing) This partnership is with Goldsmiths University, London. Its objective is to study gender and housing in India. It attempts to study how gender is implicated in access to decent housing and intersections of gendered violence with active and passive infrastructural violence, particularly in reference to women’s rights to housing. The aim of the study is to understand and impact housing policy using findings on protective and facilitative impact of property ownership for women.

Completed Projects

Minorities on Campus in India (2020-2022): This is a study sponsored by the AHRC and led by Coventry University, U.K. I was advisor to the research group studying discrimination, equality and politics of nationalism in Indian Higher Education institutions.

Study on Gender and immigration (2019-2021) Ithis was a three-country study on Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and India titled, South Asian Women and Migration Pathways to Canada. The study explored how the Canadian immigration policy may be more gender and culture sensitive.

Cooperation with American University of Afghanistan, Kabul (2018 2019): Conceptualized and led a training for Generative Leadership and Social Entrepreneurship for women entrepreneurs in Afghanistan.

Cooperation with Universidade Do Estado do Rio De Janeiro ( UERJ) (2018) : Taught a 2 credits bilingual course in English and Portuguese on 'Education and Social Change' with focus on Gender Social Inequalities and Human Rights in India, to post graduate program in education at UERJ.

Visiting Professor at Katholische Stiftunsfachhochschule Muenchen, University of Applied Sciences (2017): A semester long deputation at KSFH for developing and teaching two courses on Gender and Culture Change: Eastern and Western Concepts; and Gender based Violence.

Academic Partnership with Kabul University, Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and Tata Institute of Social Sciences, India facilitated by UNDP (2016- ongoing): Faculty Coordinator and Member of Working Group for institutional development, capacity building and resource enhancement of Gender Institute in Kabul University in Afghanistan.

Cooperation with Centre for Trust, Peace and Social Relations, Coventry University (2015 onwards): Engaged in research on themes of Indian diaspora in UK, women and multiculturalism Muslim women's leadership and feminist peace studies.

UNFPA Project on Centre of Excellence (COE) on Adolescents and Youth (2015- onwards): Principal Investigator for empirical study on Child Marriage and Early Motherhood, funded by DFID. This Project collected youth voices from those who had married early and focused on advocacy against early marriage based on these voices.

Ruth Cohn Institute for TCI International (Berlin) and TISS Partnership (2015 onwards )

This partnership is a project involving development and delivery of training workshops in personal development, group leading and democratic pedagogy for diverse groups. I have developed and launched a program in Professional and Personal Leadership at TISS under this collaboration.

Linnaeus-Palme Programme Award (2015)

This research partnership was conceived and led by me in partnership with Dr Ulrika Andersson, Lund University. It was engaged in developing courses and academic exchanges on Gender and Human Rights at TISS.

Development Partnerships in Higher Education (DELPHE) (2006-2009)

I conceived and lead this link involving a partnership with four UK Universities: London Metropolitan University, University of York, University of Warwick, and the University of Bristol. It promoted and strengthened cross-cultural teaching, research and extension in women’s issues and gender studies. A two years Masters Program in Women’s Studies was an outcome of this partnership.

Vulnerability Approach to Understanding Women's Issues in India, USA and Sweden (2014 – 2015)

This was an exploratory research partnership with Prof. Martha Fineman of Atlanta University and Dr . Ulrika Andersson of the Research Group on Law and Vulnerabilities, Lund University, aimed at interdisciplinary and cross-cultural research and publication in the area of violence against women and law.

Early / Child Marriage Initiative in India (2014)

A research monitoring and evaluation study of community-based organizations in India. Funded by the American Jewish World Service. It also involves organizational capacity building for girl child and women's empowerment and prevention of early/child marriage.

 
Violence against Women, Human Rights and Gender Justice ( 2012)

Visiting fellow at the School of Law, Keele University, UK, from May 20 - Aug 20, 2012. Involved research and writing on the theme of Sexual Violence and Culture of Silence in India. Also developed a paper for an M.Phil program in Women's Studies titled: Women, Violence, Justice and Peace: An Introduction to Feminist Peace Studies .

A Three Country Study of Academic Mothers In India, Brazil and South Africa (2010 - 2017)

This research study is an international project under IBSA (India, Brazil, South Africa Association) with senior academics of Brazil, India and South Africa and explores the life and work context of women in higher educational institutions.

Sexual Violence Research Initiative (2007)

This initiative was funded by World Health Organization (WHO) involving representatives from academia, community-based organizations and the legal fraternity. Developed a joint proposal to generate culturally relevant knowledge from women's own experiences on what constitutes sexual assault and rape.

A Study of Sexual Violence in Marriage (Dec 2004 – 2007)

This study was in collaboration with Lawyer's Collective and MacArthur Foundation. The study generated qualitative data on sexual violence in marriage based on interviews and case studies of 100 women with the objective of advocacy for a social and legal response to the unrecognized problem of marital rape in India.

Women's Studies Network Indo- British Research Link (2005-2006)

Worked with Prof.Liz Kelly, Child and Woman Abuse Studies Unit (CWASU) in London Metropolitan University. The focus of this link was to encourage the link partners to work together in pairs for capacity building. transnatuonal joint teaching, seminars, workshops and conferences on violence against women.

Best Practices among Responses to Violence against Women (April 1997-March 2000)

Initiative of the International Centre for Research on Women, Washington and USAID to study responses to domestic violence in India. Served as Project Director and Principal Investigator for this pioneering national report on the subject.

Gender Planning Training Project (1995-1997)

A Government of India Project, supported by the British Overseas Development Agency (ODA) and British Council, India. As part of the project, involved in developing modules and training of senior level police officers of MP cadre for sensitive handling of women victims of violence.

Courses Conceptualised and Taught

1. Theoretical Approaches to Gender and Development ( Masters in Development Studies)
2.  Gendered Violence, Culture and Human Rights( Masters in Development Studies)
3.  Effective Social Science Writing( Masters in Development Studies)
4.  Women, History and Society: Feminist Theories and Perspectives ( Masters in Women's Studies)
5.  Women, Sexualities and Violence (Masters in Women's Studies)
6.  Feminist Research Methodologies (Masters in Women's Studies)
7.  Women, History and Social Change: Feminist Theories and Perspectives ( Masters in Development Studies)
8.  Theorizing Feminism ( M.Phil in Women's Studies)
9.  Women, Violence , Justice and Peace : An Introduction to Feminist Peace Studies (M.Phil in Women's Studies)

 
Workshop-Courses for Professional and Personal Leadership Program (2015-2018)

 I have developed and taught an International Professional and Personal Leadership Program at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences in collaboration with Ruth Cohn Institute for Theme Centered Interaction (TCI)-International, Berlin.This Program is based on a group leading method called Theme Centered Interaction (TCI).

 
What is TCI?

TCI is a concept for working with groups and teams. It provides a conceptual design for ethical living and practice in all professional settings. It has many uses. For example:

Leading and directing organizations, institutions and employees
Democratic teaching and learning in schools, colleges and universities including facilitating continuing and adult education
Counselling and Coaching

 The program is done on a nonresidential modular format involving 8 workshops spread over 18 months. A total of 36 days of workshop contact and a short self reflective thesis are mandatory components. The program is targeted at social and development workers, community workers, teachers, trainers, team leaders and managers, counsellors, soft skills professionals and all those interested in personal and professional development. Training participants are awarded two certificates: An International Certificate in the training methodology TCI from Ruth Cohn Institute for TCI, Berlin. Also a Certificate from TISS for Professional and Personal Leadership. For more information, check out : https://www.ruth-cohn-institute.org/home.

 
Training Elements

The training comprises of the following elements:

an introductory workshop (3 days)
6 workshops of 5 days each. For learning TCI method (3 workshops) and personality courses (3 workshops)
a short written thesis
evaluation / recommendation from teachers team
a concluding workshop (3 days)

 
TCI Courses taught in the Leadership Module

 1.Making a contract to work together

 2.Biographical work:So I became... who I am...Making sense of my biography so I may lead myself better

 3. Team Building with Theme Centered Interaction: Doing Theme Centered Interaction... Making a well running team

'4. Strengths Training:Finding my real strength

 5. Deepening knowledge of Theme Centered Interaction:Leading you, leading me...elements of leading differently with TCI

 6. Diversity and conflicts as opportunities for growth and expansion:I lead – You lead... What now?

 7.Generative Leadership:Being an authentic and generative Leader...working collaboratively and inspiring each other

 8.Making Closures and Celebrating

Training Consultancies and Sponsored Workshops

I am an accredited trainer and teacher of Theme Centered Interaction ( TCI) from the Ruth Cohn Institute for TCI International with its head office in Berlin, Germany. Along with my interest and experience in training and democratic pedagogy, I have been part of the Gender, Planning, and Training Project of the Government of India and DFID since 1995-96. I have contributed to the process of creating a sustainable national gender training resource so as to impact planning and policy formulation. I have been involved in gender sensitization sessions with senior police officers at the National Police Academy, Vertical Interaction Programs of Police at TISS, Civil Services Probationers and other Government officers, academic audiences, personnel in the social sector and project officers of NGOs and special groups such as women’s committees. I have been involved regularly in organizing and facilitating personal development workshops at TISS and at other organisations on a wide range of themes such as utilising one's strengths, work life balance, enhancing positivity and dealing with dysfunctional inner tendencies, diversity in values and inner and outer conflicts, leading oneself, leading groups, increasing ones effectiveness as an educator and trainer etc.TCI workshops require a minimum of 12 and a maximum of 25 participants. Groups of 20-25 are best for group processes, though larger groups can also be trained using this method. For work we need a room free of furniture for unstructured exercises and participants are required to be present throughout the workshop. For training consultancy and sponsored TCI workshops / sessions you may contact me: nishimitra@tiss.edu

TCI Workshop Courses Designed and Taught ( 2000-2018)

International Certificate for Basic Training in Theme Centred Interaction (TCI). Professional and personal leadership:A training in skills, methods and self-awareness. Organized by: Tata Institute of Social Sciences and Ruth Cohn Institute International in partnership. Course Coordinator and Facilitator. Course launched in Nov 18, 2015, till 2018.

Leading my 'Self' and Leading Teams and Organizations –Working with our Strengths for Effectiveness and Success . Five day workshop co-led with Mr Hermann Eppler ( RCI, International, Switzerland). Dec 1-5,2014.

Emotions, Conflict and Communication: How to Transform Non-cooperative Communication to an Effective One ! Two day workshop co-led with Mr Hansgeorg Vom Berg ( RCI, International, Switzerland).July 24-25,2014.

Interventions in the Field:Challenging Social Situations: in Which Way Theme Centered Interaction (TCI) Can Help Us to Manage Them? Five day workshop co-led with Ms Christel-Wagne Teichmann ( RCI, International, Berlin). April 21-25, 2014.

Challenges of Being in Another Culture: Making Meanings :We Listen to Each Other and Expand our Understanding. An inter-cultural Dialogue with International Students at TISS. Workshop organized by ISO and sponsored by Muenster University. Co-led with Mr Hansgeorg Vom Berg( RCI, International, Switzerland) and Ms Annika Strauss ( Muenster University). Feburary11-13, 2014.

Ups and Downs” in my Biography:What Can I Learn For My Personal Growth? Two day workshop co-led with Mr Hansgeorg Vom Berg ( RCI, International, Switzerland). Jan 4-5, 2014.

Leading my 'Self'...Leading Groups or Teams. Five day workshop co-led with Dr. Elisabeth Miescher ( RCI International, Switzerland). August 12-16, 2013.

Crisis and Disagreements in Groups and Teams: How May We Handle Them? Five day workshop. Led alone. April 15-19, 2013.

Workplace and Gender : Soft Man? – Strong Woman? A Journey to the Hidden Sides of My Personality. co-lead with Mr. Hans Georg Vom Berg( RCI International, Switzerland) . September 4-8, 2012.

Leading Myself, Leading Teams with Good Communication and Motivation. co-lead with Mr. Hans Georg Vom Berg( RCI International, Switzerland). LBSNAA, Mussoorie. November 29, 2012.

I Am I and You are You: Difference and Diversity as Chance or Danger? Five day workshop co-lead with Mr. Hans Georg Vom Berg( RCI International, Switzerland). LBSNAA, Mussoorie. Aug 27-31, 2012.

I Like Me and I Like You Because You are Different from Me! Then What is our Problem and Why do We Have it? Sessions co-led with Sabine Hoegger Maire and Hans Georg Vom Berg ( RCI, International , Switzerland) at IEW 2012. Lindau/Germany. April 11-14, 2012.

Achieving Work Life Balance in My Life. Led Participants from the corporate sector. Orchid Hotel, Mumbai. March 10, 2012.

Managing My Life and Work. co-lead with Mr. Hans Georg Vom Berg( RCI International, Switzerland). January 3-7, 2012.

How to Think Better and More Positively About Myself and My World? How Do I Become More Efficient in Self Management? co-lead with Ms. Karin Fritzsche ( RCI International, Germany). December 19-23, 2011.

Catch your ‘I’, be an Eye catcher! co-lead with Ms. Heide Walbrodt ( RCI International, Germany). January 25-29, 2011.

Patterns in Human Behaviour: How to deal with them in groups?” If everybody knew everything about the others, everybody would gladly and easily forgive. There would be no pride and arrogance any longer.” Participated in five day workshop lead by Ms.Christa Reppel, Mr.Bernd Krock ( RCI International, Germany ) and Prof. Nasreen Rustofram (TISS). November 9-13, 2009.

Personal Relationships- A Basis of Our Private and Professional Life : A Theme Centered Interaction Application Workshop Based on Concrete Situations.Five day workshop , co-lead with Ms. Karin Fritzsche ( RCI International, Germany) . September 7-11, 2009.

To Live with Diversity and Difference: We Learn to Handle Conflicts the TCI Way. Five day workshop colead with Ms.Karin Fritzsche ( RCI International, Germany) Aug 18 to 22, 2008.

Utilizing Our Strengths, Being Responsible, Trusting One Another: the Master Keys for Reaching Excellent Results Together. Three day workshop coled with Mr Hermann Eppler ( RCI International, Switzerland) and Mr Melwyn Rodrigues.May 29- 31, 2008.

Diversity: Towards Openness to You and the World. Participant in five day workshop led by Prof. Matthias, Dr.Teresa Peter ( RCI, Austria) and Prof.Nasreen Rustomfram (TISS). Feb 1-5,2008.

My Values, Your Values in Our World. Five day workshop colead with Ms. Heide Walbrodt ( RCI International, Germany )and Mr Hermann Eppler ( RCI International,Switzerland ). Dec. 1 to Dec. 5 ,2007.

Leading Myself - Leading Groups - How Can I Be My Own Chairperson and Be Aware of the Needs of My Participants / Students? How Can We Individually and Together Improve and Live Our Chairpersonship? Five day workshop colead with Dr.Elisabeth Miecher (RCI International, Switzerland) and Prof.Nasreen Rustomfram (TISS).Nov 27 to Dec 1, 2006.

Living Leading and Living Learning with TCI: The importance of the “I” for the Leader and for the Participants.Five day workshop co-lead with Mr. Bernd Krock ( RCI International, Germany ) and Prof.Nasreen Rustomfram( TISS).Aug 16-20, 2006.

Theme Centered Interaction in TISS Classrooms: A Chance for Me and My Students. Five day workshop co-led with Mr Hermann Eppler (RCI International, Switzerland) Jan31-Feb4, 2006.

Leading Groups with TCI: I Discover and Develop my Personal Tools.Four day workshop co-lead with Mr Hermann Eppler ( RCI International, Switzerland).Oct 4-7, 2001.

Increasing my Effectiveness as Educator/Group Leader through Theme Centered Interaction (TCI).Four day workshop co-lead with Mr Hermann Eppler ( RCI Internationa, Switzerlandl) .Oct12-15, 2000.