As a Fulbright-Nehru Postdoctoral Fellow at The Ohio State University, Sucharita Sen has found her time both personally enriching and professionally transformative. Her Fulbright project examines how everyday nonsexual intimacies between colonizers and the colonized in British India upheld imperial hierarchies while masking colonial violence. Using intersectionality and affect theory, she examines how these relationships functioned alongside official structures of power.
“Fulbright broadened the horizons of my writing and research, opened gates to diverse networking opportunities and spearheaded enriching collaborative ventures,” said Sen. “Affiliation with Ohio State has given me a coveted intellectual exposure and has been a highlight of my academic journey.”
Sen noted how the welcoming environment of the Department of History fostered stimulating discussions about her research. “The History department accommodated me and enriched me with intellectually illuminating discussions. I benefited greatly from Elizabeth Dillenburg’s guidance,” Sen said. An Ohio State history faculty member, Dillenburg served as her mentor, and Sen said learning from her was the best part of her experience.
Sen also received an award from the Fulbright Outreach Lecturing Fund (OLF), which supports academic lectures, community engagement and cultural exchange—three key aspects of the Fulbright program. As part of the award, she will travel to Minnesota in early March 2025 to deliver lectures at Saint Catherine University, Edina High School and the University of Minnesota. She is honored to represent both her home country, India, and her host institution, Ohio State.
Sen is also working on the first full-length study of how caste and gender have shaped the Hindu Bengali matrimonial market from colonial Calcutta to contemporary Kolkata. This book project was fostered by Ohio State resources. “Nestled on Neil Avenue and overlooking The Oval, Thompson Library made a splendid location for my research,” Sen explained. Ohio State’s Open Access Agreement waived article processing charges and fully funded her forthcoming publication in Public Humanities (Cambridge University Press). She describes her affiliation with the university as an invaluable academic opportunity.
Beyond academia, she engaged with the community by introducing students to Indian culture and heritage. Sen helped them set up a station featuring Indian food, cultural demonstrations, national symbols, history, and geography, culminating in a song and skit that included the Indian national anthem. As part of a festival, Girl Guides, children around 8 years old, form troops, each representing a different country – and one will showcase India.
The Office of International Affairs supports the Foreign Fulbright Foreign Students and Scholars program. For more information contact Joanna Kukielka-Blaser.