Join the South Asian Studies Program (SASP), an International Programs affinity group, as they host a lecture by Professor Ajailiu Niumai on Thursday, September 26, 2024, 4 - 5:30 p.m. (CDT) in the International Commons, room 1117 of the University Capitol Centre at the University of Iowa (UI).
Through her talk, Unraveling Manipur Conflict in Northeast India, Niumai will provide an overview of how peace eludes Manipur (Northeast India) in the aftermath of brutal violence that erupted in May 2023 between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities. This ethnic conflict has displaced 60,000 people and killed over 200. Tensions have been brewing for years. Today, both Kuki-Zo and Meitei have formed armed groups and non-state armed vigilantes provide protection.
"This event is a critical opportunity for the University of Iowa campus community to engage with the complex and ongoing conflict in Manipur,” said Meena Khandelwal, director of SASP and professor of anthropology at the UI. “By understanding the deep-rooted issues that have led to such tragic violence, we can foster greater awareness and empathy, which are essential for building a more inclusive and informed global perspective. Ajailiu Niumai’s insights are invaluable as we strive to make sense of the world’s conflicts and contribute to meaningful dialogue and peacebuilding efforts."
Niumai is professor of sociology and former head of the Centre for the Study of Social Exclusion & Inclusive Policy (CSSEIP), School of Social Sciences, University of Hyderabad (UoH); and senior research associate, Department of Sociology, University of Johannesburg, South Africa (2023-25). She is the assistant director, Institute of Eminence, University of Hyderabad (2023-25). Her research interest includes gender studies (sex and labor trafficking of women/children, and women’s sexual health), Indian Diaspora, Northeast India studies, and NGOs and development. She has published articles in reputed journals like Economic & Political Weekly, Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Sociological Bulletin, Contemporary Voice of Dalit, the Eastern Anthropologist, International Anthropological Journal - Man in India, and the like. She is a guest editor of the Special Volume on Gender and Social Exclusion, Journal of Social and Economic Development, Springer Nature (2024). Her books include Gender, Law and Social Transformation in India; Springer Nature; Germany/Singapore (2022); and Hundreds Years of Sociology in India: Evolving Issues, Emerging Trends by Springer Nature, Singapore (to be published in September/October 2024).
She was on post-doctoral fellowship at the Department of Gender, Women’s and Sexuality Studies at the University of Iowa, under University Grants Commission Raman Fellowship, a part of the INDO-U.S. Knowledge Initiative in 2013-14. She is the first fellow of CARTHA in Iowa City. She has held several positions in her career of 24 years and has been associated with many universities in India and overseas. She is on the board of governors at the Institute for Social and Economic Change, Bengaluru, Executive Council Member of the Central Tribal University of Andhra Pradesh and advisory committee member/board of studies member in various universities. She has served sociological associations at the regional, national and international levels in various capacities. She is the Asia regional representative of RC-32 Women, Gender and Society of International Sociological Society (2023-27). She is member, managing committee of Indian Sociological Society (2020-2025) and former convenor of RC-04 Migration & Diaspora Studies (2026-19) of the Indian Sociological Society. She is the founder secretary of Sociological Association of Northeastern India (2022 onwards). She joined the Department of Sociology as assistant professor at UoH in 2000, and worked till 2009. She joined CSSEIP, UoH in 2009 and taught courses at Centre for Women’s Studies as one of the pioneers and joint faculty, UoH (2007-2013). Niumai is the co-supervisor and supervisory panel member of PhD candidate at the Humanitarian Health Research Initiative, National Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, College of Health & Medicine, the Australian National University, Canberra, Australia (2023 onwards). She has chaired and delivered keynote addresses, plenary lectures, and invited lectures in various Conferences/Seminars/Workshops in India and overseas.
The South Asian Studies Program, an International Programs affinity group, is devoted to the enhancement of instruction, research, and the dissemination of knowledge about India, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Afghanistan, Nepal, and Sri Lanka. The group is led by Director Meena Khandelwal, associate professor of anthropology at the UI.
Individuals with disabilities are encouraged to attend all University of Iowa-sponsored events. If you are a person with a disability who requires a reasonable accommodation in order to participate in this program, please contact Daniel Vorwerk in advance at daniel-vorwerk@uiowa.edu or 319-467-1619.
International Programs (IP) at the University of Iowa (UI) is committed to enriching the global experience of UI students, faculty, staff, and the general public by leading efforts to promote internationally oriented teaching, research, creative work, and community engagement. IP provides support for international students and scholars, administers scholarships and assistance for students who study, intern, or do research abroad, and provides funding opportunities and grant-writing assistance for faculty engaged in international research. IP shares their stories through various media, and by hosting multiple public engagement activities each year.