Dr. Dia Da Costa

Biography

Dia Da Costa is a professor in the Faculty of Education at the University of Alberta, specializing in Educational Policy Studies. Her academic journey began with a Bachelor of Arts in Sociology from the University of Delhi, India, and continued with a Master of Arts in Sociology Education from the University of Warwick, UK. She completed her PhD in Development Sociology at Cornell University in 2003. Prior to her tenure at the University of Alberta, she worked as an assistant professor at Hobart and William Smith Colleges and Queen’s University. Da Costa's research primarily interrogates state violence and the interplay of education and development within the contexts of colonial and postcolonial theories. Her scholarly work critically addresses issues of caste and colonialism, examining the relationships between power, education, and cultural politics, particularly in South Asia and among South Asian diasporas in Canada. She has authored and edited several influential publications, with a focus on feminist, Marxian, and decolonial theories. Da Costa's pedagogical approach emphasizes critical engagement with social justice issues, advocating for anti-caste and anti-racist frameworks in education. Her courses commonly include topics in cross-cultural education, international development, and feminist theories in education, with the aim of cultivating a deeper understanding of these complex interrelations within her students.

Research Interests

Experience