Aishwarya Raj
Ph.D., Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), MumbaiAssistant professor, School of Law Governance and Public Policy
Aishwarya Raj
Ph.D., Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), MumbaiMy research focuses on understanding the intersection of development, social justice, and public policy. I am interested in examining how state-led development interventions reshape the lives, identities, and socio-economic conditions of marginalized communities.
A central concern of my work is the study of development-induced displacement and rehabilitation. Through my doctoral research on tribal communities affected by the Subernarekha Multipurpose Dam Project in Jharkhand, I investigated the long-term social, economic, ecological and cultural consequences of displacement. My work explores how affected communities negotiate change, adapt to new environments, and engage with state institutions during displacement, resettlement and rehabilitation processes. By combining quantitative and qualitative research methods, I seek to understand both structural policy issues and the lived experiences of displaced populations.
Another important area of my research is livelihoods and community development. My M.Phil. research examined the role of Self-Help Groups (SHGs) in strengthening tribal women’s empowerment under the National Rural Livelihoods Mission (NRLM). This work deepened my interest in grassroots institutions, gender-inclusive development, and the capacity building of community organizations to facilitate socio-economic transformation.
More broadly, I am interested in questions of equity, participation, and inclusion within public policy. I examine how policies are designed, implemented, and experienced on the ground, with particular attention to the voices of communities that are often excluded from decision-making processes. My research aims to bridge academic inquiry and policy practice by generating evidence that contributes to more inclusive and socially responsive development strategies.
Methodologically, I employ mixed-method approaches, including surveys, statistical analysis, indepth interviews, focus group discussions, participatory rural appraisal techniques, net process mapping and policy analysis. Through my work, I seek to contribute to scholarly debates on development, displacement, rights, livelihoods, and governance while informing policies that promote sustainable and equitable social change.
Aishwarya Raj is a social researcher specializing in development studies, with expertise in displacement and rehabilitation, tribal development, livelihoods, gender, and public policy. She holds a Ph.D. in Social Sciences from the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai. Her doctoral research critically examined the displacement, resettlement and rehabilitation experiences of tribal communities affected by the Subernarekha Multipurpose Dam Project in Jharkhand.
She earned an M.Phil. in Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy from TISS, Mumbai, and a Master’s degree in Political Science from the University of Delhi. Her research engages with questions of social justice, governance, rural transformation, and inclusive development, with a particular focus on marginalized communities.
Aishwarya has extensive experience in interdisciplinary and field-based research, employing both qualitative and quantitative methodologies. Her work spans issues of rural livelihoods, migration, gender, community development, and policy implementation. She has been associated with research and programme coordination initiatives at TISS and has collaborated with national and international academic and development organizations. Her research on migrant workers during the COVID-19 pandemic contributed to broader discussions on vulnerability, mobility, and social protection.
She is a recipient of the ICSSR Doctoral Fellowship and has qualified the UGC-NET in Political Science. Through her research and academic engagements, she contributes to scholarship and policy debates on equitable development, governance, and social inclusion in India.
- Ph.D. in Social exclusion and inclusive policies, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, 2025
- Thesis: Displacement and Rehabilitation of Tribal Communities: Understanding the state and society interface.
- M.Phil. in Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), Mumbai, 2020
- Dissertation: Self-help group and interfaces in the process of capacity building among tribal women:Study of National Rural Livelihood mission.
- M.A. in Political Science, University of Delhi, 2017
- B.A. (Hons.) Political Science, University of Delhi, 2015
Research Contribution to DFID–UNDP COVID-19 Migration Study: Contributed to the design, data collection, analysis, and reporting of a bilateral research project funded by DFID (UK) and implemented by UNDP India in collaboration with TISS Hyderabad and ICRG. The study examined the socio-economic impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown and reverse migration patterns among informal workers in Chhattisgarh, generating evidence to inform policy interventions and resilient rural development strategies.
- ICSSR Doctoral Fellowship (2022–2024)
- UGC-NET Qualified in Political Science (2018)
- Golden Key International Honour Society Awardee(2013)
- Member participant, Australian India Youth Dialogue – (2021)
- Completed the Fifth Orientation Course on Migration conducted by the Centre for Development Practice and Research, TISS Patna (2021),
- Completed NIRDPR Online Training Programme on Strategies for Development of Particularly Vulnerable Tribal Groups (PVTGs) in Scheduled Areas (2020)
- Completed Faculty Induction and Research Methodology Training Programme organised by the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion and Inclusive Policy, Central University of Jammu and Kashmir, India (2021).
Served as Coordinator for several international academic and capacity-building programmes at the Tata Institute of Social Sciences (TISS), working in collaboration with globally reputed universities and international participants. Worked as Coordinator of the Indian Technical and Economic Cooperation (ITEC) Programme, overseeing programme administration, participant engagement, documentation, and the overall coordination of training and capacity-building activities for participants from diverse countries.
Served as Coordinator for the Short-Term Study Programme with Macquarie University, Australia, Global Immersion Guarantee (GIG) Programme with Monash University, Australia and Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HUJI). In these roles, she was responsible for coordinating academic schedules, field-based learning components, institutional interactions, programme documentation, and participant support. These engagements provided significant exposure to international academic collaborations, cross-cultural learning environments, and global perspectives on development and social change.