Dr. Rekha Datta to Teach and Research in India
WEST LONG BRANCH, N.J. — Monmouth University Professor of Political Science Rekha Datta, Ph.D., is spending a portion of the current academic year in India as a recipient of a prestigious Fulbright-Nehru Academic and Professional Excellence Award in Teaching and Research. As a Fulbright U.S. scholar, Datta will be researching global governance, local and cultural norms and gender-based violence in India.
She is also serving as a Visiting Professor in the O.P. Jindal Global University’s School of Government in Sonipat, Haryana. The university works in collaboration with the Society for Participatory Research in Asia to implement community focused work related to domestic violence, the safety of women, and gender equality.
A noted scholar, Datta is the author of Why Alliances Endure: The United States-Pakistan Military Alliance, 1954-1971; Beyond Realism: Human Security in India and Pakistan in the 21st Century; and is co-editor, with Judith Kornberg, of Women in Developing Countries: Assessing Strategies for Empowerment. Her scholarly interests cover foreign policy analysis, domestic politics and foreign relations in South Asia, gender and development, gender-based violence, child labor, and human security. Her work has appeared in 10 books and numerous journal articles. She is currently working on a book on contemporary India.
Datta said that being selected for a Fulbright award was “a privilege and an honor.” She said she is excited to delve into both the teaching and research components of her grant.
“With my deep interest and passion for teaching, especially for international and cross-cultural education, I am looking forward to engaging with students and colleagues in India to further cultural and academic collaboration.”
Fulbright awardees are selected on the basis of academic and professional achievement and service and leadership in their fields. Datta is the recipient of the Outstanding Leader in Experiential Learning Award from the National Society for Experiential Learning, Monmouth University’s Distinguished Teacher and Global Visionary awards, and the Humanitarian of the Year Award from the Jersey Shore chapter of the National Conference for Community and Justice.
During her stay in India, she also plans to travel to other universities and conferences to give lectures and seminars.
“We are thrilled that Dr. Datta has been chosen for this incredible Fulbright opportunity,” said Provost Laura J. Moriarty, Ph.D. “Her passion and dedication to teaching and research makes her an exemplar of the type of faculty member that builds a truly transformative education for our students at Monmouth University. I am sure that her experiences as a Fulbright scholar will only enhance her teaching and scholarship when she returns to campus.”
Datta’s Fulbright-Nehru project, “Global Governance, Public Policy, and Culture: Role of Local NGOs in Combating Violence Against Women in Northern India,” is a qualitative study to assess global, national and local norms and policies, and how those policies develop the capability of women to address gender-based violence and contribute to empowerment. The project focuses on northern India, but may later expand to include other areas of the country.
The flagship international educational exchange program sponsored by the U.S. government, the Fulbright Program is designed to build lasting connections between the U.S. and more than 160 other countries where the program operates.
According to the United States-India Educational Foundation, the administrator of Fulbright awards in India, Datta is one of only four scholars from New Jersey — and the only one in her field of study — to be selected for the Fulbright-Nehru award this academic year.
For further information on the Fulbright Program, visit eca.state.gov.fulbright.