Dr. Durba Ghosh

Biography

Durba Ghosh is a Professor in the Department of History at Cornell University, where she specializes in cultural and gender studies, race and ethnicity, and the histories of empires and colonialism. Her teaching and research focus on the history of British colonialism in the Indian subcontinent. Since joining Cornell in 2005, she has taught courses on modern South Asia, gender, and colonialism. Ghosh is the author of several books, including 'Gentlemanly Terrorists: Political Violence and the Colonial State in India, 1919–1947' and 'Sex and Family in Colonial India: Making Empire'. In her latest project, she explores the relationship between colonial and confederate statues as part of her sabbatical work. Ghosh has published numerous journal articles and book chapters, including pieces that discuss the dynamics of political violence and its representation in historical narratives. Active in various programs at Cornell, she is currently the associate editor for the South Asia Journal and co-chair for the Association for Asian Studies conference in 2025.

Research Interests

Experience