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Home > Faculty of Arts > School of Social Scien... > Staff & Contact Details > Ruchira Ganguly-Scrase

Ruchira Ganguly-Scrase

PhD Anthropology (1993, Melb), MA(prelim) Anthropology (1987,  Melb),Grad. Dip Education (1984, Deakin) BA Sociology (1982, VU)

Office: 19:2015
Phone: (02) 4221 3661
Email: rgscrase@uow.edu.au

Biography

I was born in India and moved to Melbourne, Australia when I was eleven years old. My undergraduate training was in Sociology. Then I went on to complete a PhD in Anthropology at the University of Melbourne, funded by a Commonwealth Postgraduate Research Award. I joined the University of Wollongong in 2001. Previously I taught Sociology and Anthropology at Charles Sturt University (1995-2000) and Deakin University (1991-1994). The subjects that I teach in the Sociology Program include, Race and Ethnic Studies, Sociology of the Family, Contesting Asia: Culture, Diversity and Difference, and Modernity, Development & Social Change.

Research Interests

• Capitalist Development and Modernity
• Ethnographic and Qualitative Research Methods
• Anthropology of South Asia
• Gender Relations
• Cultural Politics of Race, Ethnicity and Minority Groups
• Childhood and Schooling

Current Projects

1. ARC Discovery Project: The Clothing Industry in the Asia Pacific: Managing Constant Change (with Prof. Adrian Vickers, University of Sydney, Dr. Melanie Beresford, Macquarie University and Dr Vicki Crinis and Associate Prof. Kathryn Hannan, UOW)

   This project seeks to understand the complexities of change in the clothing industry and its vast work force, especially after the liberalisation of trade restrictions in 2005. We ask what roles strong states such as China have in successfully developing the clothing industry, and why the same industry is on the verge of collapse in countries such as Indonesia. We compare a number of Asia Pacific countries and trace the networks of production, distribution and consumption that link them, to demonstrate the social impacts of the changing nature of economic production for Australia's region.
   

2. ARC Linkage with PALMS Australia (with Dr Tim Scrase, Associate Prof Peter Kell, UOW and Mr Roger O'Halloran, PALMS)
   
   This study examines the role of volunteer abroad programs in contributing to regional stability in the Asia/Pacific Region through community based volunteer placements. It explores the experiences of current volunteers in the field, their local host communities and involves the participation of previous volunteers, PALMS staff, as well as experts in the area of international volunteer programs.
   
3. Gender and Forced Migration: This URC project explored the gendered nature of cross-border forced migration from Bangladesh and internal displacement in Eastern India. Following the study, I am currently working in collaboration with Associate Prof Roberta Julian, University of Tasmania, Dr Kuntala Lahiri-Dutt, ANU to examine the broader issues concerning the current global debates on the difficulties of separating 'economic' and 'political' refugees. 
   
4. Home is a Distant Land: is a digital documentary project on the Partition of India. It explores individual and collective memories of the Bengal partition. It examines the multi-layered experiences of dislocation, including the aftermath of the liberation war of 1971 in Bangladesh, and current displacement from ‘refugee colonies’ in the wake of globalisation. 
   
5. Fairer Markets and Ethical Consumers? A Sociological Inquiry into the Complexities of Asia Pacific Fair Trade 
   
   Palms Australia (Palms) and the Edmund Rice Centre for Justice and Community Education (ERC), in partnership with the University of Wollongong, have developed this research proposal to analyse the nature and character of Australia’s aid and development policies by critically examining Fair Trade as a key development goal in the Asia/Pacific Region.

Research Students

Bokhtiar Ahmed
Seori Choi
Nichole Georgeou
Belinda Green
Susheela Pandian
John Robinson
Patrick Brownlee

Recent Publications

Searchable RIS publications from 2000 to date

Books:

2008: Globalisation and the Middle Classes in India: The Social and Cultural Impact of Neoliberal Reforms, (Co-authored with T. J Scrase) Routledge, London.

2001: Global Issues/ Local Contexts: the Rabi Das of West Bengal, Orient Longman, New Delhi/Sangam Books, London.

Refereed Journal Articles:

2008: Ganguly-Scrase, R. & 'Ethnographies of gendered displacement: women's experiences in South Asia under neo-liberal globalisation', (Co-authored with G. Vogl) Women's Studies International Forum, vol. 31, no. 1, pp. 1-15. 

2008: Ganguly-Scrase, R. 'Survival in the Era of the Post-Multifiber Arrangement: Experiences of Garment Workers in India', Journal of Third World Studies, vol. 25, no. 2, pp. 39-57.

Ganguly-Scrase, R. 2007, 'Victims and agents: Young people's understanding of their social world in an urban neighbourhood in India', Young: Nordic Journal of Youth Research, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 321-341. 

2005 “Neoliberal Globalisation and Women’s Experiences of Forced migrations in Asia” (co-authored with R. Julian and G. Vogl) in Refugee Watch Dec, pp. 1-18 

2004 “Globalisation and Gendered Social Transformations: Young People’s Lives in an Urban Artisan Community” in Children, Youth and Environments, Vol. 14. No. 2., pp. 45-66. 

2003 “Paradoxes of Globalization, Liberalization and Gender Equality: The Worldviews of the Lower Middle Classes in West Bengal” in Gender and Society, Vol. 17, No. 4. pp. 544-566.

Book Chapters:

(in press) “Development, Displacement and Minority Women’s Rights,” in Ghosh, Anjan and Eva Marie Nag (eds) Rethinking Discrimination: Minorities, Nationalism and Human Rights Violation in South Asia., Oxford University press. 

(in press) “ ‘Everywhere there is chaos…’: Middle class responses to neoliberal reforms in West Bengal” (Co-authored with T. Scrase) in Neve, Geert De and Henrike Donner (eds) Exploring the ‘Middle’ Classes in South Asia, Abingdon: Routledge. 

2008: 'Globalization and the Middle Classes in India: Myths and Realities', (Co-authored with T. J Scrase) in D. A. Smith (eds), The Social Issues Collection, Routledge, New York. 

2008: 'Hegemony, Globalisation, and Neoliberalism: The case of West Bengal, India', (Co-authored with T. J Scrase) in R. Howson & K. M. Smith (eds), Hegemony: Studies in Consensus and Coercion, Routledge, New York. 

2008: 'Minority Women and Forced Migrations: A comparative study of flight and settlement experiences of women Refugees in India and Australia', (Co-authored with R. Julian) in D. Gopal (eds), India-Australia Relations: Convergences and Divergences, Shipra Publications, New Delhi. 

2006 ‘Constructing Middle Class Culture: Globalization, Modernity and Indian Media’ (co-authored with T. Scrase) in medi@sia: Communication and Society in Cultural Context, Holden, T.J.M and Timothy J. Scrase (eds), Routledge,. 

2003 “Gender, Globalisation, Modernity” In Scrase, T, Holden, T and Baum, S (eds) Globalization, Culture, and Inequality in Asia, Trans Pacific Press, pp. 68-94. 

2003 “Search For Change: Karl Marx” In Jureidini, R, Kenny, S and Poole, M (eds) Fully revised for 3rd edition (2003) Sociology: Australian Connections Allen & Unwin, Sydney, pp. 44-62.

Refereed Conference Proceedings (2009-2006) 

2007, 'Ethnographies of Neo liberal Globalisation: Women and Forced migrations in South Asia', Asia Pacific Region: Societies in Transformation - The 8th conference of the Asia Pacific Sociological Association, Universiti Sains Malaysia. 

2007 (co-authored with T. Scrase) “Privatisation, Profit and the Public: The consequences of neoliberal reforms on working lives” workshop on The Middle Classes in India: Identity, Citizenship and the Public Sphere, March 15-17, at the Institute of Economic Growth, Delhi 

2007 “Garment Workers in India in the Era of Liberalisation: Continuities and Changes” for ICAS5: International Convention of Asia Scholars, Malaysia, 2-5. Aug.

2006 ‘Neoliberal Development and its Implications for the Garment Industry and its Workers in India: A case study of West Bengal’, Refereed conference paper for 16th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia. 26-29 June, University of Wollongong. 

2006 (co-authored with T. Scrase) “Everywhere there is chaos…Middle class responses to neoliberal reforms in West Bengal Exploring the ‘Middle Classes’ in South Asia: Research workshop, Monday 25th – Tuesday 26th of June, University of Sussex.

Refereed Conference Proceedings 2004-2006

"Neoliberal Development and its Implications for the Garment Industry and its Workers in India: A case study of West Bengal", Refereed conference paper for 16th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia.
 
"Neoliberal Globalisation and Women's Experiences of Forced migrations in Asia" (co-authored with R. Julian and G. Vogl 33% contribution), Refereed conference paper for Social Change Research in the 21st Century, Queensland University of Technology - 28 October 2005.

"Gender and forced migration in South Asia" Refereed conference paper for The Australian Sociological Association conference, University of Tasmania, Dec 5-8.

"Women's work in call centres in India: Contradictions and Constraints" (co-authored with Van den Broek 50% contribution), refereed conference paper for The Australian Sociological Association, University of Tasmania, Dec 5-8.

Other Conference Presentations 2004 -2006

2006

"Minority Women and Forced Migrations: A comparative study of flight and settlement experiences of women Refugees in India and Australia" Third International Conference of the Indian Association for the Study of Australia (IASA), J. P. Naik Centre for Education and Development, Kothrud, Pune, 9-11 Jan.

"Neoliberalism and the Culture of Class' (co-authored with Tim Scrase) Class, History, Formations and Conceptualisations - 2nd International Workshop of the Hegemony Research Group, 3-4 March, University of Wollongong.

"Women, Work and Social Change", co-authored with Diane Van den Broek, 16th Biennial Conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia, 26-29 June University of Wollongong

'Neo-liberal Globalisation, Gender Equity and Women's Work: Worldviews of Indian Middle classes' Political Economy of Development in Asia: Comparing the Chinese and Indian Middles classes, CAPSTRANS workshop, 11 Aug.

2005

'Neoliberalism as Hegemonic in Asia: The Case of West Bengal, India' (Co-authored with T. Scrase- 50% contribution) paper presented for workshop on Hegemony: Explorations into Consensus, Coercion and Culture, University of Wollongong, 14 -15 Feb.

 "Approaches to the study of the garment industry in the Asia Pacific," Fourth International Convention of Asia Scholars (ICAS4), Shanghai Aug 20-25 co-authored with Vicki Crinis & Adrian Vickers 33% contribution).

"Australian Volunteers Abroad in Communities in the Asia Pacific Region: Experiences of Volunteers" (25% contribution Co-authored with Kell, Scrase, & Vogl), paper for Human Security and Development in Marginal Communities: A National Workshop on Volunteering Abroad in the Asia-Pacific, 24-25 November 2005,  jointly sponsored CAPSTRANS Asia Pacific Futures Network (APFRN) - see grant No PA10507.

"Development and Displacement: Women's experiences of Flight and Settlement in South Asia", paper for Eighth Women in Asia Conference: Women's Caucus of the Asian Studies Association of Australia, & The University of Technology, Sydney, 26- 28 September.

 "Globalisation and Development: Implications of the MFA phase out for the Garment Industry and Its workers in India and Bangladesh," (co-authored with Faraizi 50% contribution) conference paper for "Human Securities in the Asia Pacific Region" Asia Pacific Sociological Association, Mahidol University, Thailand, Dec 16-18.

'Human Security, Neoliberal Globalisation and Women's Experiences of Forced migrations in Asia," conference paper for "Human Securities in the Asia Pacific Region" Asia Pacific Sociological Association, Mahidol University, Thailand, Dec 16-18.

2004

"Development, Displacement and Minority Women's Rights," paper for International Union of Anthropological and Ethnological Sciences, Intercongress, Calcutta, 12-15 December.

"Infiltrators, Illegals and Undesirables: Gender and forced migration in the border regions of West Bengal, India," paper for Asia-Pacific Sociological Association Conference, Seoul National University, South Korea, 17th - 19th of September.

"Gendered Exclusion: Women's experiences of internal displacement in West Bengal and cross-border forced migration from Bangladesh." Paper for 15th Biennial conference of the Asian Studies Association of Australia, Panel on The Two Bengals: Recent Social Scientific Research on Class, Culture and Inequality., ANU, 29 June -2 July.

"Border Crossings: Rethinking Women and Forced Migration in postcolonial states of Asia" (with Tamara Gulic in Creative Arts, UoW), Poster presentation, 15th ASAA Biennial Conference. ANU, 29 June -2 July.

Conference Organising Activities (2004-2006)

2007

Panel convenor, "Gender Relations' 8th Asia Pacific Sociological Association, Universiti Sains Malaysia, Penang,

2005

Panel Organiser, "Women and Forced Migration" Eighth Women in Asia Conference: Women's Caucus of the Asian Studies Association of Australia, & The University of Technology, Sydney, 26- 28 September.

Panel convenor, "Gender Relations' 7th Asia Pacific Sociological Association, Mahidol University, Thailand, Dec 16-18.

2004

Panel convenor, Gender Relations, 6th Asia-Pacific Sociological Association Conference, Seoul National University, South Korea, 17th - 19th of September, 2004.