Karthik Ramanujam

Graduate Research Assistant

Political Sociology, Critical Theory, Political Economy, Caste in India

Karthik is a Doctoral student in Sociology at George Mason University. He completed a Masters in Sociology from Florida Atlantic University, where he focused on sections including labor and agrarian politics, critical sociology and world-systems theory. His current research interests are centered on understanding world historical processes such as globalization, nationalism and, neoliberalism to explore the changing political dynamics. In this regard, he explores how residual political logics can interact within new conjunctures to produce newer political meanings and actions. He aims to focus primarily on modern India and political and economic logics of the caste system.

One of his recent projects presented at the Mini-Conference on Caste within the 2023 ESA Annual Meeting focuses on the theoretical gaps in understanding caste in contemporary India. It aims to understand from existing literature and records of contemporary caste experiences to explore how caste continues to exist in seemingly non-caste contexts.

Karthik is originally from India and spent most of his life in the city of Chennai. In the past, he has worked as a Production Manager, an Electrical Engineer and a Management Consultant. He wants to pursue an interdisciplinary approach to understanding our globalizing society and produce works that help us create a better future world. In his free time, he goes hiking and attempts some nature and landscape photography.

Education

- MA, Sociology, Florida Atlantic University (2021)

- MBA, Industrial Management, Indian Institute of Management (Mumbai), India (2016)

- B. Tech, Electrical & Electronics Engineering, National Institute of Technology (Tiruchirappalli), India (2012)

Recent Presentations

“Informal Economy and its Challenges under a Neo-Liberal, Ultra- Nationalistic Regime in India.” Roundtable Paper. American Sociological Association 2021 Annual Conference

“Dharavi’s Right to Mumbai - Exploring relevancy of the ‘Durable Slum’ in a Globalizing Political Economy.” Shortlisted Paper. Southern Sociological Society 2020 Annual Conference (canceled due to COVID)