2023 Bharati Memorial Awardee Presentations

The Moynihan Institute of Global Affairs’ South Asia Center presents the 2023 Bharati Memorial Awardee Presentations. 

Award recipient Mohammad Ebad Arhar examines the securitization of South Asian identity in the U.S. and Persian Gulf, drawing from his dissertation. He explores U.S. legal and media discrimination, including the Patriot Act and South Asian portrayal in media, and the dynamics of South Asian labor in the Gulf, particularly under the restrictive Kafala system. Athar highlights how these factors contribute to the segregation and scrutiny of South Asians, especially those advocating for rights. The talk connects these regional experiences to illustrate the broader impact of the War on Terror on transnational South Asian communities.

Mohammad Ebad Athar is a Ph.D. candidate in the History Department at Syracuse University. He completed a B.A. in history at Rutgers University and an M.A. in history at Syracuse. His current dissertation project examines the global impact of the post-9/11 period for the South Asian diaspora in the United States and the Persian Gulf. In drawing connections between these two regions, he hopes to illustrate how South Asian identity has been securitized across transnational borders and how South Asian political activism has resisted this framework. 

Award recipient Shanel Khaliq will discuss their dissertation research exploring how public transport infrastructure in urban Islamabad shapes mobility, class, and gender inequality. It examines various modes of public transport, including state-owned BRT and privately-run services, to understand their impact on urban development and accessibility. The study critically analyzes how these systems often prioritize the working-class male, reflecting technocratic, top-down approaches to urban planning.

Shanel Khaliq is an urban and environmental sociologist who is passionate about livable and equitable cities and public spaces. Prior to starting a Ph.D. in sociology at Syracuse University, Khaliq worked as a journalist and teacher in Islamabad. 

Join us as they share their research projects that were conducted with funding from the Bharati Memorial fund awarded via the annual Graduate Student Research Grant Competition conducted by the South Asia Center and the Moynihan Institute