Dr. Karan Sharma

Assistant Professor

Research Areas: Political Theory, Ethics and Moral Philosophy, Phenomenological Ethnography, Qualitative Methods, Queer Studies, Security Studies, Strategic Studies, Defence Studies

UGC Senior Research Fellow (NET-JRF) working in the diverse fields of political theory, queer politics, and security studies. I submitted my thesis for external review in October 2024 and am awaiting my final thesis defense.

ACADEMIC QUALIFICATION

• Doctor of Philosophy (Ph.D.) at BITS-Pilani, KK Birla Goa Campus (2020-2024) Status: submitted
  • Department of Humanities and Social Sciences
  • Topic: Heteronormative Regimes of Morality: A Phenomenological Ethnography of Queer Experiences
  • Supervisor: Prof. Reena Cheruvalath (HSS, BITS-Pilani, Goa)
  • Co-Supervisor: Prof. Prabhu Venkataraman (HSS, IIT Guwahati)
• MA Political Science (2017-2019)
  • Department of Political Science, University of Delhi
• BA Political Science (Hons.) (2014-2017)
  • Delhi College of Arts and Commerce, University of Delhi

CERTIFICATION

• Awarded and Qualified UGC NET JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) (January 2020) in Political Science.
• Commenced as Senior Research Fellow (January 2022)

CURRENT PROJECT

• Visiting Fellow, Forum Internationale Wissenschaft, University of Bonn, Bonn, North-Rhine Westphalia, Germany. (November 2024 – January 2025)
  
  Working under Prof. David Kaldeway, FIW, University of Bonn

PUBLICATIONS

• Sharma, Karan. 2024. "‘I Thought They Would at Least Love Me’: The Gay Experiences of Heteronormative Regimentation in Indian Families, a Phenomenological ” LGBTQ+ Family: An Interdisciplinary Journal 20 (2): 122–39. doi:10.1080/27703371.2024.2304743. [Q1, 3.4 IF, H Index = 38]

• Sharma, Karan, and Reena Cheruvalath. 2024. "An Inquiry into Queer Experiences of Regimes of Morality in Indian Schools: A Phenomenological Institutional ” International Journal of Qualitative Studies in Education, October, 1–21. doi:10.1080/09518398.2024.2416711. [Q2, H Index = 70]

Research papers under review:

• Sharma, Karan. Navigating Queerness and Religion in India: A Phenomenological Queer Religion. [Q1, H index = 37]

• Sharma, Karan, & Hajara Hameed. Heteronormative Regimes of Sexual Morality in India: Scale Development and Analysis. Quality & Quantity. [Q1, H Index = 71]

• Sharma, Karan, & Reena The intersection between law and morality and its impacts on queer community in India. Law and Social Enquiry [Q1, H index = 57]

• Sharma.Karan. Strategic Implications of the Chengdu J-20 Deployment in Tibet and Pakistan's Planned Stealth Aircraft Acquisition: A Critical Challenge for the Indian Asian Security. [Q2, IF 2.1]

• Sharma, Karan. Strategic Bombers for the Indian Airforce: balancing Power Projection and Regional Security Dynamics. Journal of Strategic [Q1, H index = 40]

BOOK CHAPTER:

• Sharma, Karan. (2022). A Diatribe on Morality: Understanding Nietzsche’s Transvaluation of Moral In G. N. Shinde & L. V. P. Rao (Eds.), Ethics and Human Values through Literature (pp. 189–198). Parikalpana: New Delhi. ISBN: 978-93-95104- 10-4

ARTICLES / OPEDS

• Sharma, (2024, May 24). Chabahar Port: Why US may ‘Secretly Support’ India-Iran Connectivity Deal despite threatening sanctions. The Eurasian Times. https://www.eurasiantimes.com/chabahar-port-why-us-may-secretly-support- india-ira/amp/

• Sharma, (2024, May 13). China Threatens India’s Hold Over Siachen, Kashmir As Beijing ‘Creeps Into’ Shaksgam Valley Using CPEC. The Eurasian Times. https://www.eurasiantimes.com/n-china-threatens-indias-hold-over-siachen/

• Sharma, (2024, June 18). The J-20 Challenge: Can India Bridge the Fighter Jet Gap With China? The Diplomat. https://thediplomat.com/2024/06/the-j-20-challenge-can- india-bridge-the-fighter-jet-gap-with-china/

• Sharma, (2024, June 17). India "Bets Big” On Russia Despite US Lure & Chinese Fear; Here Is Why Delhi & Moscow Remain ‘Trusted Pals’ The Eurasian Times. https://www.eurasiantimes.com/with-brics-sco-karan-sharma-unpacking/

CONFERENCE

• International Centre of Advanced Studies ‘Metamorphoses of the Political’ by ICAS: MP Spring School 2021 for Doctoral Researchers – 'Thinking the Political’ From March 15 to 24, 2021

• Presented a paper titled "A Diatribe on Morality: Understanding Nietzsche’s Transvaluation of Moral Values” at Ethics and Human Values Through Literature, an international conference organized by the Yeshwant Mahavidyalaya, Nanded,

• Gave a talk on "Nietzsche’s Genealogy of Morals,” at the Research Forum, Department of Humanities and Social Science, BITS-Goa, 30 September

RESEARCH PROJECTS

• SPARC Project on "Public Humanities and Pedagogy in the Global South: Challenges and Directions.” Indo-German Collaborative Project on Public Humanities (2023-2025)

  PI and Collaborators: Prof. Geetha Bakilapadavu, Prof. Reena Cheruvalath, and Mr. Karan Sharma from BITS-Pilani Goa, India, and Prof. David Kaldewey, University of Bonn, Germany.

PEER REVIEW ACTIVITY

• Review Activity for Journal, Archives of Sexual Behavior. ISSN: 0004-0002
• Review activity for Journal, Social sciences & humanities open. ISSN: 2590-2911
• Review Activity for Journal, Journal of Homosexuality.

TEACHING EXPERIENCE

Teaching Assistant (TA) work for the following courses at BITS-Pilani Goa

• BSDCH ZC151 WRITING PRACTICE, IC: K.A. Geetha
• GSF231 DYNAMICS OF SOCIAL CHANGE, IC: Mohan Kumar Bera
• PSZC221 BUSINESS COMMUNICATION, IC: Prof. Basavadatta Mitra
• GSF112 TECHNICAL REPORT WRITING, IC: K.A. Geetha
• HSS F236 SYMBOLIC LOGIC, IC: Reena Cheruvalath

Phone: Extn. No. 115608