Ms. Elizabeth Thomas

Elizabeth Thomas is a scholar who explores the diverse facets of cultural studies as an inherently interdisciplinary field capable of integrating insights from literature, history, philosophy, and anthropology. Her doctoral thesis at the University of Humanistic Studies (UvH), Utrecht, the Netherlands, examines the evolution of social justice discourse and its influence on contemporary political and social debates in India. This dynamic interplay between past and present also defines her teaching philosophy. For instance, she advocates for reading timeless classics in undergraduate courses, such as ‘Fundamentals of Literature’ and ‘Prose Across the Ages’, while simultaneously challenging master's in creative writing students to engage with their present through cutting-edge literary nonfiction.

Her academic perspective and teaching approach was shaped by a winding intellectual journey, including an M.Phil. and M.A. in English from the University of Delhi, teaching stints (2004-2008) at Mount Carmel College, Bangalore and Maharaja Agrasen College, Delhi University, and research positions (2008-2013) with the Higher Education Cell,  and the Law, Society and Culture Programmes (LSCP) at the Center for the Study of Culture and Society (CSCS), Bangalore, from where she also obtained a Postgraduate Diploma in Cultural Studies. Her broad intellectual interests and teaching experience have primed her for the unique challenges and opportunities of building a new institution as an inaugural faculty member of the Alliance School of Liberal Arts (2022 onwards).

Her research interests include issues of cultural difference and diversity, understanding the challenges of pluralism and articulations of justice, and unraveling the relationship between law, society and culture, all within the Indian context.