Dr. Soma Chaudhuri

Biography

Soma Chaudhuri is an Associate Professor in the Department of Sociology at Michigan State University, where she also serves as the Co-Director of the Center for Gender in a Global Context. Chaudhuri's research focuses on the intersection of gender, development, and social movements, with an emphasis on community and household-level violence that perpetuates structural and institutional gender inequalities. Her work examines the role of non-state actors in designing and implementing empowerment initiatives, paying particular attention to the factors that shape women's agency and the conditions under which these programs succeed or fail. Current projects include a co-edited volume with scholars from Africa and South Asia that investigates the political and legal challenges in implementing anti-rape laws in the Global South. Additionally, she is working on a manuscript that traces the experiences of women who navigate abusive relationships, exploring their creation of livable spaces of dignity, meaning, and tactical agency. Chaudhuri's research has been funded by grants from the National Science Foundation and the Social Science Research Council.

Research Interests

Experience