Doctoral Researcher Tusharika Deka Awarded PhD

Congratulations to the School of Politics and International Relations' doctoral researcher Tusharika Deka on recently being awarded her PhD.

Tusharika's thesis 'Shifting identities: Kashmiri youth and the drivers of conflict' examined the impact of ongoing conflict and recent constitutional changes on the identities of Kashmiri youth, with a focus on state-led surveillance and censorship practices. She mainly looked at 'humiliation' as a driving factor in identity creation among Kashmiri youth. The study is distinct because it conceptualises identity formation in conflict zones, particularly focusing on how technology-led processes such as surveillance and censorship shape the contemporary self-perception of Kashmiri youth. It contributes to the relatively underexplored study of youth as an observer of a conflict and their inward-looking identity and experience.

Tusharika's thesis was examined by Dr Simon Toubeau and Dr Simona Vittorini (SOAS). Her PhD was supervised by Professor Katharine Adeney and Professor Andew Mumford.

Congratulations Tusharika!