GRADUATION TALK ▼

RESEARCH AS FIGHT AGAINST SOCIAL INJUSTICES

AN INTERVIEW WITH SAIKAT GHOSH

▐  In an interview Saikat Ghosh talks about how his experience working in the public sector in India influenced his research topic, what triggered him to switch the focus of his academic studies and what he is planning to do after defending his thesis.

   What drew you to the topic of Early Childhood Education?

   S.G. Although there are several policies for child development in India (and in many other developing countries), still, they are far from achieving their goal. A considerable number of children worldwide are still suffering from malnutrition, undernutrition, and poor learning environment, which in turn make them more vulnerable to poverty. Indian children are also suffering from different forms of child poverty which I have personally witnessed during my professional career as a policy maker in the public sector. I felt that there is a huge gap between policy and practice, and not much is spoken in favor of very young children and their development. Children suffer from different forms of discrimination and unequal opportunities in access to early education. That was my motivation to bring these issues forward through my research.

   You started your academic studies in economics and now focus on development studies. What triggered the switch?

    S.G. It actually started when I was involved in State Public Service in India and dealing with several issues which were beyond economics only. There were issues which needed more elaborate knowledge not only of economics but also of social sciences in general. That is why I felt the need to expand my knowledge in that field and also compare the issues in a more international perspective. Then I did my second masters in development studies with special focus on poverty and social development.

    What are your plans after successfully defending your thesis?

   S.G. So far, I have worked both in academic and policy research. But personally, I would like to be a policy researcher where I can deal with issues which are more relevant to real life and can make a substantial impact on humanity. My future plan is to work for international development organizations and agencies which are devoted to helping the people from the marginalized section of the society and in need of support. As I know, there are plenty of such organizations in Europe, particularly in Germany, so my next plan is to find a suitable position in one of those. My goal is to serve humanity with all my expertise and knowledge as a researcher in social science.

Image Credits: © Bamberg Graduate School of Social Sciences