Meghana Rao
Areas of Interest & Expertise
- Gender and Sexuality Studies
- Sociology of Medicine
- Sociology of Law
Biography
Meghana has a Master’s degree and PhD in sociolegal studies from the University of Toronto. She also has a Master’s degree in Communication from the University of Hyderabad. She has taught in these universities as well.
Her research interests lie at the intersection of law and society studies, anthropology of medicine, gender and sexuality studies, and affect theory.
In her doctoral work, she studied the regulation of suicide in India, with a specific focus on hijra suicides in Bengaluru.
Her current research focuses on the discourses of care in contemporary India. In addition, she is studying the socio-political contexts of the elder care industry and associated care workers in Bengaluru.
Courses
Interdisciplinary Studies: Understanding Development
Introduction to development through case studies set in the Indian context
Sociology of Development
A study of ‘development’ requires an understanding of the social and cultural dimensions that shape the institutions that act upon people’s lives and landscapes.
Publications
Book Chapter
- Rao, M. (2021). A Life Worth Telling: Love and Suicide in Hijra Lives. In P. Kumar (Ed.), Sexuality, Abjection and Queer Existence in Contemporary India. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/Sexuality— Abjection— and— Queer— Existence— in— Contemporary— India/Kumar/p/book/9781138553149
Journal Article
- Rao, M. (2021). A Multifarious Law: Heterogeneous meanings of suicide in Indian law. Indian Law Review, 5(2), 166 – 188. https://doi.org/10.1080/24730580.2021.1946267
Newspaper Article
- Rao, M. (2020, April 21). Fear and hunger in Bengaluru’s Tannery Road, Deccan Herald.
Magazine Articles
- Rao, M. (2007, June). The Teacher as a Professional. Teacher Plus. https://www.teacherplus.org/the— teacher— as— a— professional/
- Rao, M. (2007, October). Sleight of Teaching, Teacher Plus. https://www.teacherplus.org/sleight— of— teaching/
- Rao, M. (2014, May). Vikasana: Helping Kids Blossom. Teacher Plus. Reprinted in May 2014 in Teachers of India. http://teachersofindia.org/en/spotlight/vikasana— helping— kids— blossom
Working Paper
- Rao, M. (2012). Administrating Death: Role of Law, Medicine and Development in (Re)defining Suicide in India. In Chum, A. & Forman, L. (Eds.), Munk School briefings: Comparative program on health and society. Lupina Foundation Working Paper Series. https://munkschool.utoronto.ca/cphs/wp-content/uploads/2013/02/CPHS-Rao-10 – 11..pdf